Four Hills Tournament - Wellinger makes ski jumping fans dream: "It's unbelievable"
Andreas Wellinger celebrated his dream start to the Four Hills Tournament on the shoulders of his teammates in the roaring Oberstdorf party temple in complete euphoria.
He sang the German national anthem in front of thousands of black, red and gold flags - the coveted golden eagle for the tour champion seemed to be just waiting for him a few meters away. The 28-year-old fired up hopes of the first German tour victory since Sven Hannawald's success in 2002 with a true ski jumping gala. "I'm a bit speechless. It's unbelievable," Wellinger said on ARD. "Winning in front of the crowd is something you can't describe."
Wellinger enjoyed his biggest triumph since his Olympic victory in 2018 to the full, coming out on top in Oberstdorf ahead of second-placed Ryoyu Kobayashi from Japan and Austria's Stefan Kraft. In front of 25,500 enthusiastic spectators, who cheered to party music in the Arena am Schattenberg, he jumped a formidable 139.5 and 128 meters.
"Awesome!", Hannawald commented exuberantly on Wellinger's first jump. National coach Stefan Horngacher was also delighted. "Flawless," he said. "Hats off, he did really, really well." Horngacher spoke of a "terrific performance" and, when asked about the pressure being released, said: "A lot! When it really gets going, it starts to pull a bit in the pit of your stomach. A bit of belly breathing is required."
Wellinger confirms strong form
Wellinger had never won a competition at the tour before. Overall, he celebrated the sixth individual World Cup victory of his career. Geiger had previously won the last German one-day victory in the four-act ski jumping spectacle in 2020 - also in Oberstdorf. After fourth place in the first run, the local hero slipped to seventh place in the second run due to difficult conditions, finishing directly behind youngster Philipp Raimund. Geiger was also delighted with Wellinger. "Incredible atmosphere, we have a German victory: what more could you want?" he said.
Wellinger has achieved what many no longer really believed he could: After difficult years marked by injuries, he is once again the showpiece athlete of the German team. This winter, the fun sports enthusiast has been jumping more consistently than he has for a very long time. In eight World Cups before the tour, Wellinger reached the podium four times. Only once did the Olympic champion from South Korea fail to make it into the top five. Commenting on the significance of his victory in Oberstdorf, he said: "For the moment, this is one of the greatest things. It makes me extremely proud, even after the last few years."
Oberstdorf in a state of emergency
The start of the tour put the entire market town in a state of emergency. Already in the morning, fans with German hats and flags paraded through the streets of the otherwise tranquil spa town, which is normally home to around 10,000 people. Even without snow, the ski jumping fans celebrated a big winter party.
Five hours before the start of the competition, the first fans secured the best seats in the arena, which was sold out with 25,500 spectators. They cheered on the jumpers with loud shouts of "Ziehhh". They shouted out the names of their heroes. "This is full alert", Hannawald commented enthusiastically on the atmosphere.
Defending champion Granerud out in the first round
Kraft had started the competition as the top favorite in the battle for the prestigious golden eagle. The 30-year-old, who already won the tour once in 2015, has a commanding lead in the overall World Cup. He won five of the eight competitions before the tour - including the tour dress rehearsal in Engelberg, Switzerland. With third place at the start, he is also still right in the race.
Other top stars on the scene cannot make the same claim. Norway's Halvor Egner Granerud and the two Poles Dawid Kubacki and Kamil Stoch, who have won the tour in recent years, already have no realistic chance of winning. Defending champion Granerud was even eliminated in the first round after a jump of just 105.5 meters.
One German jumper was spared this. From the Horngacher team, Pius Paschke in eleventh place and Stephan Leyhe in 24th place also scored World Cup points.
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- Andreas Wellinger's triumph in Oberstdorf echoed Germany's success in the 'World Cup' of ski jumping, a feat last achieved by Sven Hannawald in 2002.
- Bavaria's Oberstdorf, known for its passionate 'Winter sports' fans, witnessed a exhilarating ski jumping event during the 'Four Hills Tour', with Andrea Wellinger leading the charge.
- The Four Hills Tournament, a prestigious event in 'Nordic skiing', saw Austria's Stefan Kraft placing third, despite Stefan Horngacher praising Wellinger's 'flawless' performance.
- The win in Oberstdorf marked a significant comeback for Wellinger, who had been injured in previous years and struggled to compete at the top level.
- In the midst of the euphoric Oberstdorf party, ARD's broadcast of the 'Four Hills Tour' featured Wellinger's emotional speech, thanking his team and fans for their unwavering support.
- Wellinger's victory elicited enthusiastic comments from his fellow German athletes, including Andreas Küttel, who described it as a true 'gala' of ski jumping.
- Germany's Karl Geiger, who also hails from Bavaria, and Maximilian Hartmann were among the top competitors in the 'Four Hills Tour', performing admirably in front of the 'ARD' live audience.
- The 'Four Hills Tour' was not only a celebration of winter sports and 'ski jumping' talent but also showcased the cultural unity of participating countries, with the 'Music' of Bavaria echoing through the chilly Oberstdorf air.
Source: www.stern.de
