It will be a very special experience for Juliane Seyfarth, Pauline Hessler and Luisa Görlich, a real “home World Cup”. All three athletes come from Thuringia and have occasionally attended the ski boarding school in Oberhof.
Seyfarth: “It means a lot to me”
“I’m really looking forward to it, I really like jumping in Oberhof”said Seyfarth at a joint press conference of the Thuringian Ski Association and the host city. “I have the best memories of the hill. Super cool that Oberhof gets this stage.”
Seyfarth once set her personal distance record in Oberhof. So now a World Cup – even if Oberhof initially only slipped into the calendar as a substitute for Hinterzarten: “It means a lot to me. I grew up here, took my first steps in ski jumping at the boarding school.”
Anticipation among athletes and organizers: “Great response”
Pauline Hessler, who just wants to enjoy the weekend, feels the same way: “The whole thing is a sign that things are moving forward in Oberhof, and not just in tobogganing or biathlon”, she rejoices. What has she planned? “I want to jump technically clean and then see what happens. Above all, I want to enjoy jumping at home.”
Relatives, acquaintances and friends have long announced themselves. Athletes and organizers are pleased that more than the initially permitted 500 spectators are now allowed in Oberhof. “We are proud that we are allowed to do this. But it should not remain a flash in the pan, if possible”, says Frank Eismann, President of the Thuringian Ski Association, who “great response” speaks to the Thuringians.
Althaus wants to fight for the podium
Great euphoria, and that also applies to Germany’s currently best ski jumper, Katharina Althaus. After a corona break following the Olympic Games and her short comeback on the Raw Air Tour, she would like to find her way back to her old strength in Oberhof: “I really hope that I can fight for the podium”she says. “I’m not quite as stable again because I haven’t been able to do any strength training for 14 days. But now I can train well again. I’m trying to prepare as best as I can and I’m hoping for a cool weekend at the end.”
National coach Maximilian Mechler sees with a little concern that there is currently a small performance gap in the squad behind her. But he also hopes that his protégés will bring a dash of extra motivation and use their home field advantage.
National coach sees greater potential in everyone
“Recently we’ve struggled to get closer. We’d like to do that.”according to Mechler. “Everyone has the potential to move up significantly. Everyone has come close, some of them in the top ten. It is important to continue to stabilize and improve. I hope for good conditions and that everyone remember the hill. I think then they can be a bit further up than last time.”
Katharina Althaus confirms this: “I really like the hill. It’s not that easy, but the profile is very harmonious, similar to Beijing or Oberstdorf.”says the 25-year-old from the Allgäu. “You can also jump far and fly in at the bottom if you’re lucky. That can really make you want to.” Especially when two things that Pauline Hessler wants for the World Cup weekend are right: “Sunshine and updraft!”