Ryoyu Kobayashi and Frida Westman ‘excited’ by Falun’s Ski Jumping World Cup return

For the first time in over 11 years, Falun (SWE) is back on the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup calendar, giving fans an early‑season second venue after Lillehammer.

The men open the Falun stop with a Normal Hill event on 25 November, followed by a Large Hill competition on 26 November. The women compete on 28 November (Large Hill) and finish on 29–30 November on the Normal Hill.

World Cup leader Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) told FIS he is excited to jump in Falun for the first time and is looking forward to the Swedish doubleheader. Among his chief rivals will be reigning Crystal Globe winner Daniel Tschofenig (AUT), teammates Stefan Kraft (AUT) and Jan Hoerl (AUT), World Champion Domen Prevc (SLO), and Felix Hoffmann (GER). If Kraft places in the top four in the first Falun event, he will surpass Janne Ahonen’s all‑time World Cup points record (15,758) to become the highest scorer in Ski Jumping history.

Falun featured in the inaugural 1979–80 World Cup season and was a mainstay through the 1980s and 1990s. After hosting men in 2002, the venue returned in 2014 with women included for the first time; Sara Takanashi won that historic event ahead of Yuki Ito. There were no Swedish jumpers in those fields, but this time home favorite Frida Westman (SWE) will make a landmark appearance.

Westman, who earned Sweden’s first World Cup podium in 30 years with third place in Wisła (POL) in 2022, joined the Norwegian setup in 2023 to accelerate her development but suffered an ACL injury in Trondheim soon after, missing 2023/24. She returned at the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim and showed promising form on the Grand Prix circuit and with 14th and 9th places in Lillehammer last weekend. Westman hopes for a lively home crowd and atmosphere in Falun.

On the women’s side, Nozomi Maruyama (JPN) arrives as favorite after sweeping both individual events and contributing to Japan’s Mixed Team victory in Lillehammer’s opening weekend. Reigning Crystal Globe, Two Nights, and World Champion Nika Prevc (SLO) also looks strong after finishing second in Norway, while Abigail Strate (CAN) and rising Norwegian Heidi Dyhre Traaserud are ones to watch.

Schedule – FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Falun (CET): • 25 Nov 2025: 11:00 Men’s NH Qualification; 15:10 Men’s NH WC • 26 Nov 2025: 11:00 Men’s LH Qualification; 15:10 Men’s LH WC • 28 Nov 2025: 11:00 Women’s LH Qualification; 15:45 Women’s LH WC • 29 Nov 2025: 18:00 Women’s NH Qualification • 30 Nov 2025: 10:15 Women’s NH WC

Falun last hosted a Ski Jumping World Cup in 2014 before staging the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.