With a fourth place in ski flying in Planica, Daniel Tschofenig made the victory in the overall World Cup clear. The best German was Andreas Wellinger.
Day of decisions in Planica: After the first ski flying in the ski jump valley, all ratings in ski jumping have been decided. The Austrian Daniel Tschofenig fetches his first overall World Cup victory. The day winner Domen Prevc wins the small ball in ski flying. The DSV eagles missed the podium, but convinced in the team.
Good team performance by the DSV-Adler
In the qualification on Thursday there was still a triple victory for Germany. The team of coach Stefan Horngacher was unable to confirm this performance, but with all the jumpers among the best eleven, it was a strong team performance after the end of one. Markus Eisenbichler was the worst German in the first round in a good eleventh place. The 33-year-old fought for his ticket for the final jump on Sunday and the last World Cup jumping of his career.
Pius Paschke was ninth behind Karl Geiger in eighth place at halftime. The best German of the first round was Andreas Wellinger. However, he was not entirely satisfied with his performance, was annoyed after his jump to 227.5 meters in the run.
He probably suspected that as a sixth at half -time it would be difficult to attack the overall ranking in ski flying. Before the first competition in Planica, he was 95 points behind the leading Domen Prevc rating. The Slovenian was in second place after the first round, behind his compatriot Anze Lanisek. Third half -time was the Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi.
Eisenbichler falls back
In his possibly last individual jumping of the career, Markus Eisenbichler deteriorated significantly. He had to intervene too early, was restless in the air and landed after 193.5 meters.
He lost many places and probably also his right to start for Sunday, because then only the best thirty of the World Cup can do it.
“I pushed myself extremely and was almost over -motivated. Then I’m just glad that I got down safely“, said Eisenbichler after jumping in the Sportschau interview, and on:”I will miss it extremely. Either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will shed a few tears.“
What is certain is that on Saturday Eisenbichler is allowed to run again in the team and has a clear objective: “I will already motivate the others. I will stay a bit in the fence and then I want to hop on the podium.“
Germany good, the competition better
It went better for Pius Paschke and Karl Geiger, they were able to confirm their performance from the first round and ended up ten and seven after jumps over 218.5 and 220.5 meters. “I am very satisfied, these were my best jumps here – by far“, said Geiger after the competition.
Andreas Wellinger also delivered, with a jump over 225.5 meters, he took the lead in the meantime. But was then surpassed by Austrian Daniel Tschofenig, who secured his first overall World Cup victory with a fourth place.
Only Kobayashi, Lanisek and Prevc were better in the valley of the ski jumps in Planica, who also secured the small crystal ball in ski flying with the day’s victory. In the end, Wellinger became the best German sixth.