DSV-Adler completely disappoint
Norwegian Granerud wins Four Hills Tournament
1/6/2023 6:26 p.m
That was last twelve years ago: not a single German ski jumper made it into the top 10 in the overall ranking at the Four Hills Tournament. The top of the world is far away. The Norwegian Granerud does everything right. Even a new father of two can’t jeopardize his victory.
Germany’s ski jumpers experienced the next sporting debacle at the Four Hills Tournament and again only played extra roles in the triumph of Halvor Egner Granerud. While the Norwegian showed two more dream flights (139.5 and 143.5 meters) in Bischofshofen and conquered the golden eagle for the overall winner for the first time, like in Innsbruck no German made it into the top ten of the daily ranking.
Even more serious: Andreas Wellinger and Co. also had no chance in the overall ranking. After a mixed performance as the best German, Wellinger fell out of the top ten and finished eleventh. The last time there was a tour ranking without Germans in the top ten was twelve years ago, but even then the performance was even better.
Granerud’s triumph, for which it was the greatest success alongside his overall World Cup title in 2020/21, was no longer in great danger in the permanent duel with Poland’s Dawid Kubacki. In front of 14,000 spectators, the 26-year-old also ended Norway’s overall victory slump, which had lasted 16 years since Anders Jacobsen’s title in January 2007. The overall podium was completed by Anze Lanisek from Slovenia as third. The trio shaped the entire tour. Granerud won again this Friday, this time ahead of Lanisek and Kubacki.
For the German team, the jumping spectacle ended as dreary as it hasn’t been for a long time. The protégés of national coach Stefan Horngacher once again had no chance against the furiously flying world class. Horngacher had already said before the sobering final competition that this was the most bitter phase in his three and a half years in office. The first tourney victory since Sven Hannawald in 2002 was no longer an issue after the New Year’s competition.
Kubacki: Baby born during warm-up
For the first time in three years, spectators were admitted to the traditional tour finale on Epiphany. A boisterous party with loud music and several large stages was already going on in the tranquil town of Pongau around noon. Three fans came dressed up as the “Three Holy Beer Kings” with foam crowns on their heads. The “Stefan-Kraft-Springer-Toast” was served in the inns as an appetizer in honor of Austria’s top pilot.
For yellow wearer Kubacki, the day started with a special message. His wife Marta gave birth to their second child at home. “The baby was born during our warm-up. I only saw him with a huge smile. He’s doing very well,” said Poland’s head coach Thomas Thurnbichler on ARD. Kubacki’s first child was born during the Four Hills Tournament – two years ago he immediately won the New Year’s competition.
After the Bergisel debacle, the German athletes were only concerned with damage limitation. In the course of the 71st tour things went from bad to worse for the Horngacher team. A solid start in Oberstdorf was followed by a mixed result in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and a heavy defeat in Innsbruck, when suddenly there was no German in the top ten. In Bischofshofen, things didn’t go up significantly. Top athlete Karl Geiger only managed 23rd place after 51st place in Innsbruck. Youngster Philipp Raimund ended his amazing tour as a ray of hope again as the best German (twelfth place).
Olympic champion Wellinger had to defy his own state of health on the huge Paul-Ausserleitner-Schanze, which left a lot to be desired, especially on Thursday. “I’m doing a little better, but the stage is far from good. My energy level is pretty low,” said Wellinger, who had stomach problems.
Fans watch dressed in t-shirts
This also applied to the snow level. Except for the artificial snow on the ski jumps, there was nothing wintery about the ten days from Oberstdorf to Bischofshofen. In Garmisch, some fans stood in 15 degrees in their t-shirts in the run-out area, in Bischofshofen there was a lot of rain at first and then a sunny day with again clearly plus temperatures.
“It’s very, very sad, no matter at which station. We didn’t have snow anywhere except here at the ski jump. That’s very sad when you think about the fact that it’s actually a winter sport,” said Raimund. He believes the future of ski jumping will be on mats.