Wellinger talks about hole that could have destroyed everything

A hole in his suit causes a stir after Andreas Wellinger's opening victory at the Four Hills Tournament. Because an official chooses harsh words on television, the German has to explain himself. And now talks about a "stupid moment".

For Andreas Wellinger, the much-discussed hole in his ski jumping suit at the Four Hills Tournament is not a completely new experience. "It happens from time to time," said the 28-year-old in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. "We have a flexible fabric with a thread from the sewing machine. Everyone knows that from their trousers or a T-shirt: it just tears at some point." Wellinger added: "It was just stupid at that moment. I just make sure it doesn't happen again. I just have to cheer a little less."

Wellinger's suit had a hole in the right armpit after qualifying for the opening competition in Oberstdorf. Material inspector Christian Kathol told the Norwegian TV station NRK afterwards: "If he had been with me and I had seen the suit, he would have been disqualified." Wellinger would then also not have been allowed to compete in the competition the following day, which he won. No federation subsequently lodged a protest against Wellinger.

"I wouldn't have jumped a meter further or shorter because of that," said Wellinger about the damage to his suit. He had also won the qualification in Oberstdorf. "I apparently cheered too much, which is why it came undone when I raised my arms." TV pictures, among others, show that the hole actually only appeared after the jump. It has since been patched up, said Wellinger.

This Monday, he wants to extend his lead in the overall tour rankings at the New Year's competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (2 pm/ZDF and Eurosport and in the live ticker on ntv.de). His goal is the first German Four Hills Tournament victory since Sven Hannawald's triumph in 2002. Wellinger finished second in the qualification on New Year's Eve. When asked whether his current form was starting to scare him, he said: "Not scary, because it's fun. I can reproduce it really well. My body feels good. The control from the big toe to the tips of my hair works and that's the crucial thing for me."

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During the winter sports season, Andreas Wellinger experienced a similar issue with his ski jumping suit during a competition. Despite a hole in his suit, he managed to excel in ski jumping events, including a win in the Four Hills Tournament. Wellinger also mentioned an incident of ski jumping, this time in the context of Winter Olympics, where a competitor struggled with a similar issue, causing concern about fairness in the sport.

In the bustling world of Winter Sports, ski jumping events often witness exciting moments, one of which was a German competitor's successful performance despite a torn suit, similar to Andreas Wellinger's experience. Another instance occurred during the Winter Olympics, where a ski jumper faced criticism for having a tear in his suit, sparking debate about the fairness of such situations.

Source: www.ntv.de