Ski jumping
Defeat in Oslo: yellow and money far away for Wellinger
Andreas Wellinger was able to improve somewhat in Oslo, but he lost a lot in the overall ranking. photo
© Daniel Karmann/dpa/archive image
The German ski jumpers had a mixed weekend at the World Cup in Oslo. Andreas Wellinger lost a lot in the overall ranking.
The yellow jersey is basically gone, and the big money for the Raw Air series will probably no longer work: Andreas Wellinger suffered a clear defeat at the Ski Jumping World Cup at Holmenkollen in Oslo. After 20th place on Saturday, things only went better in one of the two jumps on Sunday when she finished eighth.
“It was very difficult for us. We imagined it would be easier and better. Andi worked well. It was a bit of a tough game,” said national coach Stefan Horngacher on ARD.
While Wellinger had little chance in terms of sport, Stefan Kraft from Austria, who wore yellow, provided further highlights. Kraft took a win and a third place in Norway’s capital. The third overall World Cup title after 2017 and 2020 will probably only be a formality for Kraft when the remaining competitions of the winter take place in Trondheim, Vikersund and Planica. On Sunday, the Norwegian Johann Andre Forfang won ahead of Japan’s tour winner Ryoyu Kobayashi and Kraft.
“Going home is not an option”
It was a disappointing result for the Germans, even apart from the leading figure Wellinger. There is no longer anything to be seen of the team unity that characterized the Horngacher team up until the Four Hills Tournament. “Going home is not an option. It’s too beautiful up here in Norway for that,” said TV expert Sven Hannawald with a good dose of practical optimism.
On the other hand, things are looking up for triple world champion Katharina Schmid, who equaled her best result of the season by finishing second in a strange wind jump on Saturday. There were repeated interruptions at wind speeds of up to eight meters per second.
The overall World Cup leader Nika Prevc from Slovenia had to wait 25 minutes in an unprecedented game of patience. She warmed herself up at the jump with blankets. Schmid, formerly Althaus, was already sitting in the run-out and worried whether at least one round could be completed so that her place on the podium could become effective. “It was a turbulent competition. My jump was great, I’m very, very satisfied. I’m just really happy,” said Schmid.
Eisenbichler on the rise
Former individual world champion Markus Eisenbichler is currently in better shape than the master athletes from the A squad. The 32-year-old Bavarian was not considered for the World Cup team this winter, but is getting better and better in the second-class Continental Cup. In Lahti, Finland, he took a win and a second place at the weekend.
“I am very happy with my weekend in Lahti,” said Eisenbichler via Facebook. In December and January, the former world-class jumper had no chance in this competition. In the World Cup, Eisenbichler can only be used in Planica at the earliest.