PLANICA (VG) The reigning world champion in the big downhill, Maren Lundby (28), surprised and put in a great performance before the women’s final WC competition.

Wednesday is the women’s World Cup on a big hill in Planica. On Tuesday, Lundby qualified with teammates Silje Opseth, Thea Minyan Bjørseth and Anna Odine Strøm.

Maren Lundby jumped 131 meters in qualifying – the longest jump of any jumper. Even two meters longer than the WC queen and Katharina Althaus style jumper.

– The best thing I’ve done in two years, Lundby told VG.

In this interview, he jokingly thanks the Slovenian master chef for the shape:

Lundby came in third in qualifying.

– I’m pretty happy today, and the ground is amazing today. It’s hard to say where I will be now (in competition), but I’m definitely staying there. It’s a bit more than I expected, but I would love to have such a pleasant surprise.

The 28-year-old also put in three great practice jumps on Tuesday and won one of the practice rounds.

Anna Odine Strøm, who has won three medals out of three possible in WC so far, said in this interview that she was pleased with Maren Lundby’s performance in qualifying for Wednesday’s big hill race:

Lundby told VG that he has no hope of coming out on top ahead of tomorrow’s competition.

“I hoped that I would move up a little on the list, but so much, I would not dare hope for it, and I would not think so either,” said Lundby, who was seventh on the list. individual’s normal descending course.

– Is it possible to keep WC gold?

– Of course it is possible, but that was not my plan. I have other plans, but of course it’s fun to jump like that.

Lundby became the first world champion over a big hill two years ago. In last year’s “Meeting with Maren” book, she revealed that she was struggling to lose the extra four kilos until the WC race.

After WC gold two years ago, she found it increasingly difficult with her weight and had to give up the 2021/22 Olympic season.

But after 604 days away from competition, he’s finally making his return to NM in October 2022. He placed a strong 7th on WC’s normal hill in Planica last week, but was crushed for mixed competition.

On Tuesday morning, he made a big impression in practice on WC’s big downhill and went on to go the longest in a round.

– It’s good to see Lundby being paid back for the effort he has put in, Silje Opseth told VG. He was number 15 in qualifying.

Lundby participated in his eighth WC after he debuted as a 14 year old in 2009.

Norway has just four jumpers for Wednesday’s big hill competition after injured Eirin Kvandal chose to go home.