Alex Loutitt and Abigail Strate Soar to Silver, Winning Canada’s First Ever World Cup Medal in Super Team Event
ZAO, Jpn.—Canada’s Alex Loutitt and Abigail Strate landed in the history books once again, winning Canada’s first ever World Cup medal in a Super Team ski jumping competition on Saturday in Zao, Japan.
Canada’s lady leapers racked up a total of 709.7 points. Each athlete took three jumps off the normal sized hill.
The Canadian duo finished just over 12 points behind the dominant Slovenian women who won gold with 722.2 points. Austria took the bronze with a 697.0 point total.
“It was totally a success,” said the 20-year-old Loutitt. “It is very special to be the first Canadians on the Super Team podium. That is super exciting.”
The Super Team event included 13 countries. Each nation has two athletes who all take two jumps. The top-eight nations after the second round take one more jump each.
The Canucks were sitting in fourth place following Abigail Strate’s first attempt. Loutitt elevated them into third place. The Canadians bounced around in first and second over the next two heats while battling with the world’s powerhouses in the sport.
“It was a bit of a slow start in the first round, but we were able to keep our heads cool, and climb up to second place,” added Strate, a 22-year-old who studies Graphic Design on-line at Toronto Film School.
A model of resiliency on and off the field off play throughout their young careers, the two colourful Calgarians have been anything but slow this season. Both have enjoyed a sizzling run that has caught the ski jumping world’s attention.
Saturday’s silver medal was the duos eighth World Cup podium in 11 events this season. In addition to their team medal, Strate has three individual podiums, and Loutitt four.
“We did start out a bit slow, but we managed to build our way up and showed some really strong performances today,” added Loutitt. “It is something special to be doing this together rather than individually. Nothing feels better than having someone to share your joy with.”
Loutitt, who credits her Nihtat Gwich’in roots for giving her grit, opened the 2023-24 World Cup season with two silvers and one bronze medal. The reigning senior and junior World Champion added a fourth podium on Friday with another bronze in Zao.
When Loutitt stumbled over a trio events, her teammate and friend Strate launched a medal-winning streak of her own, flying into the New Year with two bronze and a silver in normal and large hill jumping.
“(A run like this) is euphoric. I’m just trying to soak it all in and enjoy every second. My face hurts from smiling all of the time,” said Strate earlier this month.
Canada’s ski jumpers have had to support each other while facing headwinds since shocking the world at Beijing 2022 where they won Canada’s first ever Olympic medal in the sport in the mixed team event.
Facility closures at home in Calgary forced a new strategy to relocate Ski Jumping Canada’s national program to Planica, Slovenia two years ago. Living out of suitcases, access to minimal equipment, often seen using hand-me-downs, and operating on shoe-string budget, the small but mighty team of four Canadian women under 25 years old have delivered arguably one of the most successful winter sport programs at the elite level this year, consistently delivering podium results while going head-to-head with the world’s best.
With no queen bee, all four of the women’s team members have worked hard and doing their jobs to find success as a nation. Strate, a certified beekeeper, draws a parallel between a hive and the Canadian women’s ski jump team based in Slovenia.
“We do kind of operate in a hive mindset. It feels very wholesome to land and ski into the team waiting for me at the bottom,” said Strate, who takes a peek down at a bee sticker on her right ski prior to each jump to bring her a sense of calm and perspective.
“I do think that it is (our secret weapon). That strong support from all of the athletes, coaches and support staff gives us an edge. Sport can be fragile, and we have something that is special. I’m not sure there is another team on the World Cup like us. I know if we stick together, we will continue to be unstoppable.”
Strate and her Canadian wing mates will take to the top of the normal hill in Zao one more time on Sunday, putting their team support for one another on full display while competing in the individual event.
Complete Women’s Super Team World Cup Results (Normal Hill) – Zao, Japan
Ski Jumping Canada is the governing federation for ski jumping in Canada. It is responsible for the governance of all ski jumping competitions in Canada and for the operation of the national team. For more information, please visit skijumpingcanada.com.
