Towards the rally, three Swedes were in the lead. Stina Nilsson, however, hooked in Linn Svahn, who fell, but she could hold on and take second place behind Sundling who impressed all day. It was Sundling's second World Cup victory in his career.
There was a lot of drama in the rain-hit Planica, where the two jump jumpers dominate the gaze.
In the first semi-final Jonna Sundling won before Linn Svahn. Just before the rally, the Norwegian people Maiken Caspersen Falla and Ane Appelkvist huddled in each other and fell and the day was ruined. Stina Nilsson turned four without having the usual speed on the convoluted loop that was surrounded by bare ground. Nilsson made it to the final after being lucky loser and was 0.02 ahead of Johanna Hagström who came third in the heat afterwards.
In the quarterfinals, Nilsson's ski jumped in the second heat but she could barely reach the finish after Maiken Caspersen Falla and save a semi-final.
After all six Swedes advanced to the quarterfinals after being among the 13 best, the power demonstration continued. Jonna Sundling, Linn Svahn and Johanna Häggström all won their quarterfinals in the rain. Four Swedes to the semi-finals.
Jennie Öberg was third in her heat and was knocked out. Really heavy Maja Dahlqvist had what fell in the fifth heat, in striking position, and distressed rushed into goal.
- It's the sickest thing I've been through. It hauls, rains, thunder and lightning, says SVT Sports reporter Therese Bosta from the miserable conditions in Planica. But there were those who enjoyed the chaos.
- I like the weather, I come from Falköping where it rains a lot. I was two hundredths from reaching the final which was a shame. I really wanted to reach the final, says a smiling Johanna Hagström who was on the verge of knocking out Nilsson in the seminar (they competed for the lucky loser places from two different semifinals).
The pouring rain caused the start of the women's semi-finals to be delayed by about a quarter.