French ski jumper Josephine Pagnier delivered a strong performance in Zao, Japan, finishing sixth in the World Cup event. This marks her best result since February 2024, coming after a challenging start to the season and a training break in December. The achievement arrives less than three weeks before the 2026 Olympics.
On Tuesday in Zao, Japan, French athlete Josephine Pagnier competed in the first ski jumping World Cup event of the programme, achieving jumps of 88 metres and 94 metres to secure sixth place. This performance represents her strongest showing in the World Cup circuit since February 2024, following a difficult beginning to the winter season and a December break focused on regrouping and intensifying training efforts.
Japan's Nozomi Maruyama claimed victory with jumps measuring 101 metres and 92.5 metres, finishing more than 15 points ahead of the field. Austria's Lisa Eder took second place with distances of 94.5 metres and 93.5 metres, while Germany's Selina Freitag earned third with 88 metres and 97.5 metres. Slovenia's Nika Prevc rounded out the top four, recording 84.5 metres and 102 metres.
Fellow French jumper Emma Chervet placed thirtieth with jumps of 81 metres and 72.5 metres, marking her first qualification to the final heat this season. Pagnier's result highlights her improving form at a critical time, with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games approaching in under three weeks. Full results and the overall World Cup standings are available for further reference.
