“Lack of self-confidence”
Germans are flying behind halfway through the tour
December 30, 2023, 8:43 p.m
The frustration that there is only a “half Four Hills Tournament” for women is great. Just as big as the perplexity as to why things aren’t going so well for Katharina Schmid this season. When jumping in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, she lost all chances of winning.
Ski jumping world champion Katharina Schmid lost all chances of overall victory at the start of the “half Four Hills Tournament”. In Slovenia’s Nika Prevc’s second World Cup success in a row, the Olympic silver medalist had to settle for twelfth place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The best German at the premiere of the Two-Nights Tour was Luisa Görlich, who achieved the second-best result of her career in tenth place.
“I lack a bit of self-confidence. But the second jump was better,” said Schmid, who flew at 119.0 and 127.0 meters in the last competition of the year and still has to wait for her first top five result of the winter . “Katha was very late in the first round. The self-confidence is not there yet, as you can see,” said the new head coach Thomas Juffinger on ARD.
Things went better for Görlich at the women’s premiere on the large Olympic hill, which reached 126.5 and 124.0 meters. Selina Freitag (21st), Juliane Seyfarth (23rd), Anna Rupprecht (26th) and debutant Alvine Holz (27th) also landed in the points. But again Prevc, younger sister of the former tour winner Peter Prevc, could not be beaten. The 18-year-old won with 133.0 and 130.0 meters ahead of Norway’s Eirin Maria Kvandal and Abigail Strate from Canada.
3,500 fans at Gudiberg created a good atmosphere. “Unfortunately it’s not a Four Hills Tournament yet – but we’re happy that we can be here. I hope that it will be next year,” said Schmid, who won three world championship titles in the spring under her maiden name Althaus.
The overall victory will be decided at the New Year’s competition in Schmid’s home town of Oberstdorf. “I’m really looking forward to jumping at home,” said Schmid. A complete women’s tour was actually already decided for this winter, but Austria’s association backed out. “But it was great what Garmisch did here. Thanks to the DSV,” said the Austrian Pinkelnig, winner of the overall World Cup last year.