WISLA, Poland — Canadian ski jumper Abigail Strate is carving out her place in the sport’s history with a run of podium finishes that signals her emergence as one of the world’s elite competitors.
The 24-year-old Calgarian earned her second consecutive bronze medal at the Summer Grand Prix in Wisla, Poland, on Sunday with a score of 116.4 points. The result marks Strate’s fourth straight podium finish on the international circuit — a streak that includes her first career victory earlier this month.
“I’m a summer person for sure. I like the sun and have always liked jumping in the summer. The last time I jumped well in the summer, it carried into the whole year so hopefully this is a good omen for me,” Strate said after her latest medal performance.
Slovenia’s Nika Prevc captured gold with 126.2 points, while Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama secured silver at 117.5. Fellow Canadian Nicole Maurer finished 26th.
Breaking New Ground
For much of her career, Strate admitted that summer competitions were not her strongest season. Ski jumping on porcelain tracks with water-soaked plastic grass has long been considered a developmental component of the sport, but the Canadian is showing she has adapted to the challenge.
Her consistency in training has translated into competition success. “Right now, it feels a bit similar to when I got the (three straight) World Cup podiums, but it doesn’t feel as unexpected,” Strate explained. “I know the jumps are good and I feel confident they will keep being good. It’s not just happening in competition. I’m also always in the top three or four right now in official training and qualifications.”
The achievement places her in elite company. Strate is now only the second Canadian ski jumper to medal in consecutive Summer Grand Prix events over back-to-back weekends, following in the footsteps of her Olympic teammate Alex Loutitt, who notched four straight bronzes last summer.
Momentum Ahead of 2026
Strate’s breakthrough comes less than two years out from the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy, and she acknowledges her success stems from a renewed mental approach.
“I feel like I’m approaching the jump in a different way. I’m seeing the jump as a whole now, so it is a different mental approach. I do lots of visualization and mental preparation, so by the time I attempt the jump I feel like I have done it 10 times already,” she said.
“I decided this year I’m leaving nothing out. I’m putting everything I have into this season. I’m looking to crack into my full potential this year and leave nothing out there.”
For Strate, the immediate goal is to sustain momentum into the winter season, when results carry more weight toward world rankings and Olympic qualification. “In my heart, this is so fun, and I have many positive emotions,” she added. “It feels great for me now, but I know this isn’t when I want to be great. I really hope this can last until the start of the winter and through the season.”
A Sport on the Rise
While ski jumping has been a staple of the men’s calendar since summer competitions began in 1994, women only entered the discipline in 2012. The sport has steadily grown in popularity, thanks to innovations such as the new group-based format used in Wisla, designed to enhance fan engagement. Athletes competed in groups of five, with the top two advancing to a reset second round where scores started from zero — a structure that has heightened drama for both participants and spectators.
For Canada, Strate’s recent surge underscores the country’s growing presence in a sport traditionally dominated by European and Japanese athletes. Ski Jumping Canada, the governing body for the discipline nationally, is optimistic that performances like Strate’s can inspire the next generation of athletes and raise the profile of the sport at home.
Looking Ahead
With four consecutive podiums, including two bronze medals in Wisla, Strate has firmly established herself as one of the breakout stars of this year’s Summer Grand Prix. More importantly, she has found a rhythm that could carry her into the winter season with renewed confidence.
Her journey reflects more than just athletic ability — it is also about mental resilience, adaptation, and the determination to elevate Canadian ski jumping on the world stage.
As Strate continues her pursuit of excellence, her performances in Poland may well be remembered as the turning point that propelled her toward her Olympic ambitions.
