Sunday, December 5th, 2021
Leadership in the World Cup expanded
Geiger punishes the weakness of others
For the first time in eleven competitions, no German ski jumper has made it onto the podium in a World Cup. Nevertheless, the DSV team has every reason to be happy. Because the consistency of Karl Geiger not only brings him the yellow jersey, but also a clear lead in the overall standings.
Karl Geiger waved to the fans beaming with joy, the narrowly missed podium could not begin to spoil the high spirits of the number one in the ski jumping world: With his fourth place in Wisla, Poland, the currently unbelievably constant Oberstdorfer has comfortably expanded his lead in the overall World Cup – and is traveling in the yellow Jersey for the first home game of the Olympic season this coming weekend in Klingenthal. “That is an absolutely good result, I am very satisfied,” said Geiger: “It was not an easy competition again. We are in a good mood and will attack again in Klingenthal.”
With jumps of 117.0 and 123.0 meters (251.3 points), the 28-year-old violinist came close to the podium in the surprise victory of the Austrian Jan Hörl on Sunday after he was seventh at halftime. Geiger was missing from the podium, never worse than fifth this winter, the equivalent of one and a half meters.
Hörl (261.9 / 121.0 + 128.0) triumphed in front of the Norwegian Marius Lindvik (255.2) and Austria’s world champion Stefan Kraft (253.6). The six-time world champion Markus Eisenbichler (246.3) came in fifth, veteran Pius Paschke a brilliant seventh. Despite the strong German result, an impressive series broke: after eleven competitions across the seasons, the German Ski Association (DSV) was not represented on the podium for the first time.
At Wellinger “it’s just not enough”
In the overall World Cup, Geiger leads with 355 points, clearly ahead of Slovenian Anze Lanisek (272), who was 13th. Eisenbichler (237) is third. There is still a long way to go before Severin Freund won the Big Crystal Ball for the first time since Severin Freund in 2014/15, but there is currently a lot going on for Geiger.
In addition to the corona infected Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi, another rival went empty-handed in Wisla. The Norwegian World Cup defending champion Halvor Egner Granerud, who had already failed twice in the qualification in Ruka, was eliminated in the first round with 102.5 meters as 48th without a sound. In Klingenthal, Geiger could further break away – even if the home advantage is smaller due to the lack of fans due to the corona pandemic.
Youngster Constantin Schmid convinced in Wisla with 14th place. Stephan Leyhe missed a second run in 31st place with 111.5 meters (104.1) for the first time since his comeback after his cruciate ligament surgery. And Olympic champion Andreas Wellinger, who like Schmid had not been nominated for the team competition, was also eliminated in 37th place with 111.0 meters (99.4). “The jump was just bad, then it just isn’t enough,” said Wellinger: “Now it’s time to concentrate again and continue.”