“It was really pathetic”
DSV pilots experience a collective World Cup fiasco
03/11/2022 9:27 p.m
The largest facility in the world – but only moderate jumps: The first day of the Ski Flying World Championships is bad for the Germans. Karl Geiger already has to tick off the repetition of his 2020 coup. It turns into a fiasco for teammate Markus Eisenbichler, while the Norwegians and Slovenians shine.
Defending champion Karl Geiger slapped his helmet with both hands in horror, Markus Eisenbichler was almost 60 meters short of the first jump: the German ski jumpers made a false start at the World Flying Championships in Vikersund, Norway, and had to win another medal after two out of four rounds check off “It’s a shame. Unfortunately, the competition jumps were simply the worst, which annoys me extremely,” said Geiger, who was only 13th after jumps of 209 and 199 meters. The Norwegian Marius Lindvik is in the lead at half-time, offering a spectacular flight show with 232.5 and 226.5 meters.
The distances to the front are more serious than the placements of the Germans. The 29-year-old violinist is about 40 meters short of bronze, the topic of medals should already be over after a very used first day. “He has to take care of himself,” said national coach Stefan Horngacher about his best athlete.
“Really pathetic”
It was even worse for Eisenbichler, who after all won bronze two years ago in Planica. The 30-year-old Bavarian jumped 185 meters and was already defeated after one round. “It was just shit, you have to say the hard word. It was really pathetic what I did,” Eisenbichler cursed on ARD with the usual clarity.
On Saturday (4.30 p.m. / ARD) rounds three and four are on the program on the largest facility in the world. But in addition to Lindvik, world record man Stefan Kraft from Austria (second) and the Slovenians around Domen Prevc (third) and Timi Zajc (fourth) are clearly stronger than the German team. Horngacher said: “Of course we’re crushed. We’re definitely out of the medal ranks. It just didn’t work that way today. Unfortunately, Karl didn’t make a jump at all, that’s bitter for us.” You weren’t good enough. “Those are the facts.”
New chance with the team
The first flight day from Vikersund does not bode well for the team competition on Sunday (4.30 p.m.) either. Geiger and Eisenbichler are significantly further away from the medals than expected. Severin Freund (14th), Constantin Schmid (15th) and returnee Andreas Wellinger (16th) bought their tickets for the further rounds without any problems, but they are also a few meters away from the absolute top of the world. “I think it’s very mixed overall,” Wellinger said of the team’s performance. Schmid even said: “Sometimes it was impossible to jump here.”
At least Geiger, who has already won two medals at the Olympics this winter, was confident at the start. “I’m really super relaxed. I would never have believed that I could win gold two years ago. I did it back then. That means: I have the thing on the credit side,” announced Geiger in advance. Now a sporting sensation would have to come if a medal is to be won after this first day. It should also be difficult in team flying with the constellation.