Four Hills Tournament - Beer and champagne allowed: Wellinger celebrates dream start
Beer or champagne? After his emotional ski jumping triumph in Oberstdorf, Andreas Wellinger was looking forward to a liquid reward. "Definitely" he would treat himself to something, said Wellinger on the outrun of the hill on Schattenberg.
Just under an hour after his first victory in the Four Hills Tournament opener, the sold-out arena in the Allgäu with 25,500 spectators had gradually emptied. Thousands of fans had sung the German anthem beforehand, followed by a real interview marathon.
"Beautiful and emotional"
The 28-year-old Bavarian rated his victory ahead of Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi and top favorite Stefan Kraft from Austria very highly. "He's way, way up there. It's difficult to compare with an Olympic victory, but it will be in a similar category. To win in Oberstdorf at the Tournament - in front of the backdrop - when 26,000 people are waving flags and roaring until you get to the bottom and then see the one light up at the end," said Wellinger.
He had "never" experienced such an atmosphere as during the anthem. "It's really, really nice and emotional for me," said Wellinger. After a rest day, the action continues on New Year's Eve with the qualifiers in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Wellinger is no longer going into the New Year's competition as the hunter, but as the hunted. "I would say that's a nice starting position," said Wellinger.
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Source: www.stern.de
