fall, illness, weakness
German ski jumping team experiences difficult days
03/12/2023, 9:11 p.m
The flood of medals at the World Championships in Planica was followed by a tough weekend at Holmenkollen for the German ski jumpers. The fallen Katharina Althaus and the ill Andreas Welltinger do not have much time to regenerate.
Andreas Wellinger dragged himself ailingly through the long-awaited start of the Raw Air series, Katharina Althaus fell at the end: The German ski jumping team, which was decorated with many medals at the World Championships, experienced a difficult weekend at the famous Holmenkollen in Oslo. Three-time world champion Althaus did not get past two fifth places, in the men’s category only Karl Geiger made it onto the podium on Saturday in third place. The big cash checks up for grabs in the tough competitive series in Norway appear to be going to other nations.
Althaus was able to quickly give the all-clear on Sunday after her fall. After a fabulous jump of 133 meters, which would have been enough to win if the landing had been clean, the 26-year-old Allgäu lost her balance and fell over to the right. “It’s a bit annoying because the jump was really good. Actually, I can stand it easily, but it just didn’t want to be that way today,” Althaus explained on ZDF.
“I might have some bruises”
“Thank God nothing happened to me, I’m fine. I might have a few bruises, but it’s fine.” Best German was the victory of the Slovenian Ema Klinec Selina Freitag (125 and 123.5 meters) in fourth place. Freitag in fourth overall and Althaus in fifth are well on the way to qualifying for next weekend’s inaugural ski flying event in Vikersund with good raw air placements.
For the men, Geiger’s 137.5 meter jump on Saturday was a real ray of hope. “It went incredibly well. It was great fun and I’m incredibly happy that I made it onto the podium,” said the 30-year-old from Oberstdorf. On Sunday, when Stefan Kraft from Austria won in front of Slovenia’s Anze Lanisek and Poland’s Dawid Kubacki, Geiger could not confirm this: After attempts on 123.5 and 128.5 meters he did not get past twelfth place and was behind Wellinger (8th place). .) and Markus Eisenbichler (9th) third best German.
Justin Lisso caused a surprise. At his Holmenkollen premiere, the 23-year-old only achieved a second round for the third time in his career and ended up 13th. Stephan Leyhe scored a point in 30th, Constantin Schmid (37th) and Philipp Raimund (43rd) went blank.
“It was agony yesterday”
Wellinger amazed on the first weekend after the World Cup. The two-time medalist from Planica started Friday’s qualifying session weakened by flu and didn’t have the desired power on Saturday either, despite his fifth place. “It was agony yesterday,” Wellinger described the qualification. His current fitness level is maybe 30 to 40 percent.
National coach Stefan Horngacher classified: “Andi is doing really well. He lacks substance from the sick bed. It’s close to very good.” The ski jumping season lasts two more weeks for women and three weeks for men. After the endurance competition in Norway, there is still a weekend in Lahti, Finland, and the men’s flight final in Planica, Slovenia, at the beginning of April.