Image: APA/Georg Hochmuth
The 34-year-old was once again the best ÖSV player, but nobody was really satisfied with sixth place. The overall second World Cup decision from the big Bakken also ended without an ÖSV medal, but Pinkelnig left with two silver medals.
“I want to go home, to my people, to my heart people. I really, really need people who are close to my heart. There are just a few things in the job profile that are very difficult for me. Now they have me a bit crushed, and that’s why I have to go – so that I can breathe a little again,” said the woman from Vorarlberg in her last interview before leaving.
At noon she sat in the hotel room and cried. “Things just have to come together well in the background, that just wasn’t the case,” she said.
“Had her nerves in check”
The whole season, which started at the beginning of November, has had high red-white-red expectations of Pinkelnig, as the overall World Cup title defender Sara Marita Kramer never really got going and Austria’s record winner Daniela Iraschko-Stolz missed the season. With six victories and 17 podium places in the World Cup and the clear overall World Cup lead, Pinkelnig achieved more than was hoped for.
Now the nation was expecting gold from her, after neither the Alpine nor the Nordic world championships had been achieved by ÖSV athletes.
The pressure on his team and Pinkelnig in particular did not go unnoticed for ÖSV head coach Harald Rodlauer. “The expectations were very high. You come as a World Cup leader, you’re at the top in the Nations Cup – everyone expects the medals. But it could also go the other way.” In any case, the coach credited Pinkelnig with her World Cup performances and drew a positive balance for her: “Eva had her nerves under control, she went home with two medals.”
Kramer dampens expectations
Kramer was far from that, she was only used in the two individual competitions. With twelfth place on the large hill, the hoped-for liberation was not achieved. “I’ve slipped back into comfort a little bit,” the woman from Salzburg hinted that the crouch adaptations worked out in training are not that easy to implement in the stress of competition.
“There were good things, I gave everything. Of course I’m not completely satisfied, but it was definitely a step and there were good things. I can’t blame myself.”
The 21-year-old admitted her hopes of a World Cup breakthrough were more of a dream than reality. “But I’m not far away. Now it’s time to do it with full confidence.”
Mühlbacher: “Silver gets the top compartment”
Kramer paid tribute to the new, 19-year-old Canadian world champion Alexandria Loutitt, but also to second-placed Maren Lundby. She had paused for a year and a half because of weight problems. Kramer: “She didn’t have it that easy and fought back really well. To get a medal at the World Championships, that’s impressive.”
With the exception of Kramer, all ÖSV jumpers take home a medal thanks to team silver. While Jacqueline Seifriedsberger was only used in the team, Chiara Kreuzer was always there. “I’m a bit disappointed with my individual performances,” said the Salzburger, 14th on the normal hill and ninth on the large hill.
18-year-old Julia Mühlbacher was very satisfied: “The silver medal goes on the top shelf in my medal cabinet.” And the summary of Mario Stecher, sports director in the ÖSV, was “certainly positive” with two medals.
Source: Nachrichten
