At the first mixed team competition for ski jumpers this winter in Titisee-Neustadt, the DSV quartet around Selina Freitag, Constantin Schmid, Katharina Althaus and Karl Geiger achieved a podium finish. Outstanding from a German point of view: Katharina Althaus.
Wintry conditions with heavy snowfall at times on the Hochfirstschanze in the Black Forest – the jumpers had to deal with that at first. Not all of them – such as the highly regarded Poles – succeeded, but the German quartet did in front of the home fans: Selina Freitag, Constantin Schmid, Katharina Althaus and Karl Geiger all showed good jumps and ended up third in the final standings behind Austria and Norway.
The Austrians were unbeatable that day, with Marita Kramer, Michael Hayboeck, Eva Pinkelnig and Stefan Kraft competing and clearly distanced themselves from the competition. In particular, Pinkelnig and Kraft excelled with long jumps.
Katharina Althaus is making up ground
Selina Freitag initially placed fourth with her first solid jump (121.5 m). It was Constantin Schmid who brought Germany up to second place with 129.5 m. Katharina Althaus then showed the best jump of all women in the first round with 131 m. Finally, Karl Geiger (130.5 m) secured third place behind Austria and Norway and in front of the equally strong Slovenians.
Anze Lanisek (Slovenia/142.5 m) and Halvor Egner Granerüd (Norway/138.5 m) jumped significantly further than the man from Oberstdorf. The national coaches could be satisfied with third place as an interim result.
Freitag and Schmid lay the foundation for a podium finish
With 128.5 m, Selina Freitag saddled up another eight meters in her second attempt and was satisfied: “In the first one I had a small ski error and not quite as much support on the slope. Now I’m more relaxed.”
Constantin Schmid allowed the DSV quartet to get closer to the two leading teams with 128 m. And Katharina Althaus was not deterred by the unfavorable wind conditions and a short waiting time before her jump: With 130 m, she was the woman with the second longest distance in the competition behind Pinkelnig – the German team initially pushed past the Norwegians in second place .
Granerud still intercepts Geiger
It was now up to Karl Geiger. He came to 134 m and at first didn’t know what it was worth. In the end it was enough for third place, because the Norwegians passed Germany again thanks to Granerud and his jump on 141 m. Stefan Kraft (139 m) then made it clear for Austria to win the day.
The German ski jumping team has their eye on the podium at the first mixed team competition of the season in Titisee-Neustadt. Karl Geiger (Oberstdorf), Constantin Schmid (Oberaudorf), Katharina Althaus (Oberstdorf) and Selina Freitag (Aue) are in third place after the first round. It leads Austria ahead of Norway. Germany are missing the equivalent of around nine and a half meters to lead. The German mixed team has won the title in the non-Olympic competition at the past four world championships.