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Heartbreaking finale at the world ski drivers’ championship: after four jumps with a total distance of more than 900 meters, the smallest half point decided the gold. The German team can expect two medals.
Karl Geiger is the new world champion in ski flight. With distances of 241, 223.5, 240.5 and 231.5 meters, the 27-year-old flew towards his first individual medal in a major event on Saturday (12.12.2020) in Planica, Slovenia. With 877.2 points, the Oberstdorfer only had a minimal advantage over World Cup leader Halvor Egner Granerud (221, 229.5, 239, 243 meters). In the end, the German was 0.5 points ahead of the Norwegian (876.7 points).
Geiger’s teammate Markus Eisenbichler, who won bronze with jumps at 220, 247, 234.5 and 230 meters, was also able to celebrate. With 859.3 points, the German ski flight record Eisenbichler beat Austrian Michael Hayböck (845.1 points), who was fourth.
Geiger: “I never thought”
“Yes!” Geiger applauded on the run and knelt down after the narrow result in the empty ski jump stadium lit up on the LED wall after seconds of waiting. “That is indescribable, I would never have thought about it,” he later said on ZDF, adding: “I knew I like the hill and that I can fly well. But I jump one jump after another like on a rope.” I can … I’m stunned! “
Geiger has already won two gold medals with the team at the Nordic World Ski Championships; he has not yet reached the top podium in an individual competition.
Severin Freund was the last German ski flying world champion in 2014
National coach Stefan Horngacher analyzed the jump as follows: “It was an exciting and stressful competition. Karl showed stability and even increased his lead in the first race. Now the second jump was also good. Granerud lit an extreme rocket. Luck. it went well. Thanks to the whole team, everyone did a great job. We are happy that the first two medals are there, “said the Austrian, who won the first title after a good year and a half in office with the German national team. , in ZDF.
The last German winner to date in a Ski Flying World Cup was 2014. At that time, Severin Freund won in Harrachov, Czech Republic. Furthermore, Hans-Georg Aschenbach (1973), Klaus Ostwald (1983), Dieter Thoma (1990) and Sven Hannawald (2000 and 2002) have already triumphed in the ski flying world championships from the German point of view. So far, Planica has not won any gold at the World Cup in Germany.
Paschke and Schmid are solid
Pius Paschke and Constantin Schmid showed solid performances on Saturday. Paschke, who got into the final two jumps in eleventh place, flew 217 and 213.5 meters. In the second jump he defied the changing and difficult wind conditions and finally crossed the finish line in eleventh place. Schmid confirmed his 14th place on Friday with widths of 224 and 213.5 meters. “That’s a good result. I’m not happy with the day. There were still too many mistakes,” said Schmid, summing up his self-critical jumps at ZDF.
Co-favorites Johansson and Co. miss the podium
However, it was disappointing for others: World Ski Flight Championship holder Daniel Andre Tande from Norway, compatriot Robert Johansson and Pole Kamil Stoch had all traveled to Slovenia as favorites, but ultimately had nothing to do with the medal. . The best of the trio was Johansson in fifth place (841.0 points). After a mediocre first jump, Stoch couldn’t catch up and finished eighth (808.5 points). Tande finished in 13th place (777.1 points).
Resignation and suspension among the Slovenians
Saturday was overshadowed by resignations and suspensions for Slovenia’s host team in the Ski Flying World Championship. First of all, ski jumper Timi Zajc criticized national coach Gorazd Bertoncelj. Zajc blamed the coach for the Slovenians’ mediocre performance in the home World Cup. The association responded and suspended Zajc. The national coach finally resigned on Saturday.
Those: sportschau.de
