Canada’s Abigail Strate has opened the 2026 calendar year with a landmark achievement, capturing her first career World Cup ski jumping victory and reinforcing her status as one of the country’s leading winter sport athletes ahead of the Milan–Cortina Olympic Games.
The 24-year-old Calgarian topped the podium on the women’s large hill in Oberstdorf, Germany, finishing with 268.2 points to secure gold against an elite international field. The result marks a significant breakthrough in Strate’s career and underscores her steady rise within a sport where consistency, technical precision, and mental resilience are critical to success.
“This has been my dream since I can remember. I didn’t know if it would ever happen, but I have always been chasing it. I frickin’ did it,” said Strate, who had previously finished second on the same hill two years ago.
Oberstdorf’s large hill proved well suited to Strate’s strengths, continuing a pattern of strong performances on German venues. “The German hills seem to agree with me. The first training jump today I was third. I had zero problems. The inrun is very important to me and this one is just perfect for me to find that comfortable position,” she said.
Strate’s victory followed a seventh-place finish earlier in the week at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, another stop on the World Cup circuit. She credited her Slovenian-based coaching team for helping her regain focus after a demanding start to the season. The win represents her eighth career World Cup podium and her third of the current campaign. Earlier this winter, she earned silver medals in large hill events in Lillehammer and Poland, results that have positioned her as a consistent contender at the top level.
“today was a bit surprising for me. I think I have been struggling a bit this winter to be as relaxed because I likely felt a bit of pressure, especially after the two early season podiums, and was chasing it rather than being present in the jumps,” Strate said. “The coaches and I had made a plan that maybe we’d go back to training and find the good jumps, but just being connected with them and talking things through with the coaches completely chilled me out today.”
In Oberstdorf, Strate delivered the jump of the day in the opening round, flying 136 metres and earning 146.1 points. The effort gave her a commanding 15-point lead heading into the final round among the top 20 competitors. China’s Ping Zeng finished second with 257.7 points, while Germany’s Selina Freitag placed third at 257.3.
“The first round was insanely good. It was one of those jumps where everything came together,” Strate added. “I had been struggling in my inrun position, but we made a plan to think about it less. I hit the take-off perfectly. I didn’t do anything crazy or stressful in the air and flew it down there.
“I was in a bubble today. I didn’t even realize what was going on. I’ve never led a World Cup before. I never had such a lead in a World Cup, but I felt really comfortable in that position. I like it up there.”
The win also secured Strate fifth place overall in the Two Hills Tournament, a special event combining results from competitions held over the holiday season in Germany. “I wasn’t really focused too much on the overall, but I only ended up three points away from third. In hindsight, I wish I was a bit better yesterday, but this tournament is cool. It has been a huge week of jumping for me. I’m happy with how my body and mind was able to recover and focus,” she said.
Beyond competition, Strate brings a distinctive profile to the sport. A certified beekeeper and trained graphic designer, she has balanced her athletic career with creative and technical pursuits. Her momentum this winter follows a dominant summer on the Grand Prix circuit, where she finished on the podium in all five events she entered, including wins in Courchevel, France, and Val di Fiemme, Italy—the future Olympic venue.
“It’s a completely different ballpark in the winter. The winter is the heavy hitter,” Strate said. “Summer victories are great, but to do this in the winter where it really matters is cool. I had been thinking about medals all summer and maybe I was losing the relaxed feeling I had in my jumps. To be able to have that relaxed and comfortable feeling now, a month away from the Games, makes me want to just keep going for it.”
Other Canadian athletes had mixed results in Oberstdorf. Calgary’s Nicole Maurer qualified 39th and did not advance to the final 30, while fellow Calgarian Natalie Eilers finished 61st. On the men’s side, Canada’s Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes placed 30th at the Four Hills Tournament event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which was won by Slovenia’s Domen Prevc with 303.1 points.
For Strate, however, the focus now shifts to sustaining form during the final stretch of the Olympic season, with her maiden World Cup victory serving as both validation and momentum at a pivotal moment in her career.
