Such are the possibilities of Markus Eisenbichler

reThe magic lamp is not included. But Markus Eisenbichler feels a bit like Aladin. Ski flight, world championships in Planica, the ultimate discipline: “It feels like Aladin flying on his magic carpet,” says Eisenbichler. “Only that it will end at some point.” It has not even started in the Slovenian valley of ski jumping. This Friday (4:00 pm on ZDF and Europsport1), the best German ski jumper today will sprint down the great hill, search for the perfect jump possible and fly.

For seven, eight, nine seconds the sensation of apparent infinity. “Weightlessness and freedom,” Eisenbichler said in a pre-World Cup videoconference. “That’s right. All your worries and fears will disappear during the flight. Everything that brings you down.” It just disappeared, only for a short time, but it disappeared. Without thinking of Corona, in the strictest measures that the ski jumpers since the World Cup began almost a month ago. Instead of double rooms, Eisenbichler, Karl Geiger and company spend the night in single rooms. “We do everything that the hygiene concept of the German Ski Federation prescribes. “Eisenbichler said.” So far it works. We are all healthy. “

The Eisenbichler form is correct

Unlike colleagues from Austria. There have been quite a few infections there. The northern tour to Finland and Russia did not include top artists like Stefan Kraft, Gregor Schlierenzauer, Philipp Aschenwald, and Michael Hayböck. Head coach Andreas Widhölzl did it too. In Planica, the men of the Alpine republic are back to the beginning, but under what conditions? “Now it’s more or less straight from the bed to one of the biggest ski jumps in the world,” said Schlierenzauer, explaining the problems that newly recovered athletes face.

The Eisenbichler form is correct. The 29-year-old Bavarian started a season better than ever. Nobody was better than him in the first game of the World Cup in Poland, and the vote in Finland a week later was also spot on. It was Eisenbichler’s individual victories at World Cup number two and three. The three-time world champion has a special memory of the first. He was successful in Planica, while skiing. In spring 2019, Eisenbichler only had solid ground under his feet after his flights after 238.5 and 233 meters.

At that moment the crowd was screaming from the jumps. Planica is actually a big festival of air shows with beer and sausage year after year. Traditionally in March, when the ski jumping season comes to an end and the first omens of spring are already being felt in Slovenia. But this time everything is different. This time the ski jumpers are ahead of the game with their supreme discipline. The World Cup, originally planned for March, had to be postponed until this weekend due to the corona pandemic.

“Reproduces the sensation of flying”

Nothing has changed about the fascination with flying far beyond the 200-meter mark. Eisenbichler’s teammate Pius Paschke, who was nominated for the World Cup by national coach Stefan Horngacher due to his consistent good performance, is also impressed. “When I was a kid, skiing was always a dream,” said Paschke, who joined Eisenbichler from Planica via video conference. At age 30, the Munich man made the leap to the top of the world late, but not too late. Two weeks ago, at the World Cup on Ruka Hill (Finland), he finished eighth.

Eisenbichler wants to “develop his feeling of flying” on the great hill of Planica. But others also want this. Above all, the Norwegians currently prominent around World Cup leader Halvor Egner Granerud, who recently won in the Russian city of Nizhny Tagil, followed by compatriots Robert Johansson and Marius Lindvik. Eisenbichler finished fourth in this windy competition. Karl Geiger, who is eagerly awaiting fatherly joys, was not there at the beginning.

But Planica, the great air show, is something the Oberstdorf fiddler does not miss. “Karl is an excellent pilot,” said national coach Horngacher, who is fortunate to have a number of ski flight specialists in his ranks. “You have to have enough air under your skis,” Horngacher said of the secret to success. Slovenian air. Eisenbichler has had excellent experiences with him.