Sara Takanashi said Thursday she is looking for a boost at this weekend's World Cup meet in Sapporo that will carry her through to next month's Olympics.
"I am eyeing results that will propel me as far as the Olympics," the Hokkaido native told a news conference on the same day that the Ski Association of Japan named its ski jumping teams for the Pyeongchang Olympics.
For nearly a year, Takanashi has been looking for her 54th win on the World Cup circuit, a victory that would give her the highest win total for any ski jumper, man or woman.
Yuki Ito, who also is without a World Cup win this year, had her career breakthrough on her home hills a year ago, when she earned three wins and was runner-up in the four competitions held in Sapporo and at Zao, Yamagata Prefecture.
"My motivation is building," Ito said. "I want to raise my game here in Japan."