After the mixed Four Hills Tournament, the German ski jumpers are now counting down to the highlight of the season. However, before the World Championships in Planica, Slovenia (February 21 to March 5), there will be three days on the hill in Willingen, where the ski jumpers will also be in action. There will be jumping on three days, starting on Friday with a mixed competition. On Saturday and Sunday there is a single for women and men.
At 145 meters, the Mühlenkopfschanze in Willingen is the world’s largest ski jump. The World Cup competition attracts tens of thousands of fans from all over the world to Sauerland every year. The competitions are also a highlight in the calendar for the DSV Skiadler. “Great hill – great atmosphere – good shape – three competitions“, Andreas Wellinger’s short introduction to what’s to come this weekend. “Always a cool event with many spectators“, also emphasizes Karl Geiger. And Selina Freitag expects goosebumps, “when the cauldron is raging.”
Geiger back in the World Cup circus after a break
Flagship pilot Geiger reports back to the team in time for the home World Cup. The Olympic bronze medalist, who was recently out of form, skipped ski flying at the Kulm in Austria and used the short break to fine-tune his jumps with a view to the World Championships. “It went very well, we had a very good, optimally prepared hill in very good conditions. Karl showed some very good jumps“said national coach Stefan Horngacher optimistically.
At the home game, Geiger and returnee Philipp Raimund are back at the start. “I feel better, I’ve regained a little more security. That was the right time to get out of the competition rhythm again“, said the man from Oberstdorf, who wants to keep working on his jumps – also to get back on the hill “much joy and good mood” to have.
The teammates also need them, because it’s not just at Geiger that things aren’t going well this season. After a surprising third place in Sapporo, Markus Eisenbichler is fighting for consistency in his jumping performances, and Wellinger is also looking for stability. At the Kulm he flew his best result of the season so far in fourth place.
Until the knot bursts
There is still time for the Skiadler to work on their World Cup form. However, the program for the German men is tightly packed. After Willingen, we head to Lake Placid in the USA for a World Cup stop. The World Cup dress rehearsal then takes place in Rasnov, Romania.
Ready for goosebump moments
For the women around top performer Katharina Althaus, the first thing to do in Willingen is to continue to perform well. be on the team”all healthy and in good spirits“, reports trainer Maximilian Mechler and hopes for good conditions for his sextet.
The weekend in Willingen will also be important for Selina Freitag, because she has “I still have a score to settle with the hill, because I fell last year“. But, “that will be different this year“, the 21-year-old announced confidently.
After that, it’s not just Friday that’s two big steps towards the World Championships: After a stop in Hinzenbach, Austria, they meet their teammates again in Rasnov for the last test run before the World Championships.
The squad for Willingen:
Men: Finn Braun (SV Baiersbronn), Markus Eisenbichler (TSV Siegsdorf), Karl Geiger (SC Oberstdorf), Martin Hamann (SG Nickelhütte Aue), Stephan Leyhe (SC Willingen), Justin Lisso (WSV Schmiedefeld), Pius Paschke (SC Kiefersfelden), Philipp Raimund (SC Oberstdorf), Luca Roth (SV Messstetten), Constantin Schmid (WSV Oberaudorf), David Siegel (SV Baiersbronn) and Andreas Wellinger (SC Ruhpolding)
Women: Katharina Althaus (SC Oberstdorf), Selina Freitag (SG Nickelhütte Aue), Luisa Görlich (WSV 08 Lauscha), Pauline Hessler (WSV 08 Lauscha), Anna Rupprecht (SC Degenfeld), Juliane Seyfarth (WSC Ruhla).