A sporting crash at the Four Hills Tournament, the Olympic high with team gold and most recently three victories by Stefan Kraft – Austria’s ski jumping team has had a season with some ups and downs. At the World Cup final in Planica, which starts today with the qualification (10.50 a.m., ORF 1), the “squadron” of ÖSV trainer Andreas Widholzl would like to experience a happy ending. As the leader in the Ski Flying World Cup, Kraft has a small crystal ball on his radar, and after 2014 the Nations Cup could be brought back to Austria.
“For the individual, this rating may not be that important, but the Nations Cup would be a nice recognition for the trainer and the support team,” says Michael Hayböck, who would like to serve the team again in Planica as a diligent collector of points. The 31-year-old from Kirchberg-Thening, who has now set up his private base camp in Rif near Salzburg, tends not to think about his private points account at the end of a mixed season. After his disc surgery in October last year, he has made a difficult comeback with a few setbacks. With seventh place at the Ski Flying World Championships in Vikersund and good placements last weekend in Oberstdorf, he has finally reached the “world class flight level” again. Hayböck: “I had to find a new way of dealing with the reduced strength training and the right dosage of the load. It works quite well now.”
Hayböck does not yet have a specific plan in mind for his further career flight plan. After the season there is a private trip with his girlfriend to New York, followed by a thorough medical check-up of his “missile”. In any case, his spirit would be willing. “My motivation for ski jumping is still very high.”
While the ÖSV team is in the lead in the Nations Cup with three competitions to go, 178 points ahead of Germany and Kraft is reaching for the Ski Flying World Cup as the front runner, you are just a spectator in the duel for the overall World Cup. The Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi goes into the final with a 66-point lead over the German Karl Geiger.
Trio jumps in Finland
Things are getting serious for the three Upper Austrian ski jumpers Sahra Schuller, Julia Mühlbacher and Sophie Kothbauer (from left in the picture) at the European Youth Games in Vuokatti. Schalchenerin Mühlbacher probably has the best cards in today’s individual competition. A self-drawn dragon flies on her helmet as a lucky charm for the co-favourite. “He doesn’t have a name yet. But if I win a medal here, I might call him Lahti,” says the 17-year-old, referring to the venue.
Austria’s EYOF team celebrated the first gold on the third day of competition: Jonas Schuster from Tyrol won yesterday in ski jumping.
Source: Nachrichten
