Calgary ski jumper Abigail Strate soars through summer Grand Prix series in a season to remember

Call it a summer to remember. Calgary ski jumper Abi Strate is riding on a high right now, wrapping up her best-ever Summer Grand Prix series.

Calgary ski jumper Abi Strate is riding on a high right now.

Strate is wrapping up her best-ever summer Grand Prix series, which turned out to be a ski jump season to remember.

Strate landed on the podium in every competition and picked up the first two wins of her career.

She now sits third in the world.

“I came in with the mindset, ‘OK, this is the year,’” Strate said. “We’re leaving nothing on the table -- and it panned out really well when I was competing (this summer).”

“It was a shock at first,” she added, “and then it kept happening and I was like, ‘OK, we’re on the right track -- let’s try to keep this (going) for winter now!’”

Strate is in Calgary for the final time before heading overseas for the last summer Grand Prix event, World Cups and then the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

One of her 2025 victories came at Val de Fiemme, and it just happened to be at the ski jumping venue that will be used at the Winter Olympics.

“That was like the highest-stakes competition of the summer,” she said. “I knew I wanted to perform really well there and make sure I was physically and mentally in my best shape coming into that weekend.

“So, really good to go there and not just do well but win -- I was really shocked and very happy. My whole family had come over to watch and I told them to put the pressure on, like (they might) at the (Winter) Games.”

As good as it’s been for Strate, she doesn’t want to look too far ahead. There’s still plenty of work to do before the Winter Olympics.

“It’s easy to get a big ego or a lot of confidence from good performances,” she said, “but I’m really trying to appreciate it every time and be thankful, and keep working on the process.”

“In a sport like this, there’s always something to work on.” she added. “Even when I’m on the podium or winning, I’m like, ‘OK -- but what could I have one better?’

“You never know in the winter who’s going to show up at top level,” she said, “so there’s still lots of work to do between now and Milan.”

Last year, Strate had a couple of bad crashes and admits it was hard to come back from, not just physically but also mentally.

She feels great now and is hoping to continue her winning ways right through to the Olympics.