At the weekend, the world cup in Titisee-Neustadt is coming up for the ski jumping elite. The German hope Karl Geiger is hoping for a boost from the fans at the home game, as he reports in his column for sport.de.
We are approaching the World Cup weekend in the Black Forest and I am looking forward to it for several reasons.
On the one hand I like the hill very much and I love the challenge associated with the facility in Titisee-Neustadt, on the other hand we have our German supporters behind us, which always carries a few meters further and of course you can tell that an incredible enthusiasm prevails among the people in the Black Forest as far as Nordic skiing sports are concerned. In this respect it is a real home game with a high feel-good factor for us German jumpers.
Yes, the jump in Titisee is a real challenge and I admit that it has pulled my tooth several times. She has a steep inrun with a natural track, which has become rare in the World Cup; it has a sharp radius and you have to really concentrate to get balanced to the edge of the hill and apply the pressure properly.
But then, when you have done everything well, yes, then you get going wonderfully. In Titisee there is a flying hill and for me after last season also a winning hill after I had a double victory. After this coup, Titisee is definitely no longer a “place to be afraid of”, but it is still a place that you should respect and where it is still necessary to have “your seven things” together.
As is the case with a real home game, we trained hard on the ski jump in the Black Forest last week. The backpack is currently full of homework. The points to be worked on are known and step by step things are moving in the right direction.
The great art in our sport is to automate the processes or to delete the automation of existing errors from the program. This can only be done in small steps. I am present in this process and the ski jump in Titisee is to be seen as a real challenge.
But the home hill may come at the right time because, given last year’s success and the connection with the home crowd, it can give a mental boost that also makes a difference. I wish that the famous spark will fly and that the home scenario will lead to good performances being able to be called up.
The weather forecasts have predicted what we winter sports enthusiasts want most and what creates an atmospheric setting for the spectators: snow!
I’m looking forward to Titisee!
Best regards
Karl Geiger