Even though Karl Geiger and Andreas Wellinger have not yet arrived in the new ski jumping season, the duo will have a new chance in the World Cup team at the Four Hills Tournament starting on December 29th in Oberstdorf. But Sven Hannawald doesn’t believe that the former hopes of a tour triumph there will be back to normal again.
Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger are in a slump in form and therefore had to watch the World Cup in Engelberg recently. So far this season, Wellinger has only been able to celebrate one top 10 placement, at the end of November in Ruka, Finland. Otherwise he was far from the best in the world.
After the disappointing home World Cup in Klingenthal, he pulled the ripcord and went to the training camp instead of taking part in the dress rehearsal for the Four Hills Tournament in Engelberg. Geiger also recently had to work extra shifts instead of jumping in the World Cup as usual.
Ski jumping: Hannawald is cautiously optimistic about Duo
Nevertheless, the two DSV Eagles can “definitely” be happy about a starting place in Oberstdorf, as national coach Stefan Horngacher explained to “kicker”. However, Sven Hannawald is skeptical that Wellinger and Geiger will get back into shape at the Four Hills Tournament.
“Probably not,” said the last German tour winner at “web.de” when asked whether he had the duo on the bill for the spectacle in Germany and Austria and explained: “With the new regulations, the suit was previously a supporting element for both of them. This area is now gone. And if you haven’t internalized that, the feeling is immediately missing.”
This means that you “automatically jump out more carefully. It’s a cycle: you leave your usual jumping routine because you have question marks in your head. You think: Nothing can catch me anymore. So you become more defensive, and that’s exactly what makes it worse. If you don’t have enough trust, you forget your own routine,” the TV expert continued, which still gives the duo hope.
“As an athlete, you always remain optimistic. And fortunately, ski jumping is a sport in which changes can take effect very quickly. If you find something, it can work immediately. I don’t expect a return to the top. But if you find something, then placings around 15 to 10 are absolutely possible. If everything goes well, maybe even in the top 10,” said Hannawald.