Ski jumping: Kubacki won in Garmisch-Quali – ÖSV-Adler in front

The Polish World Cup leader Dawid Kubacki clinched the qualification victory, as the best Austrian Manuel Fettner landed in fifth place immediately ahead of Oberstdorf dominator Halvor Egner Granerud. ÖSV hopeful Stefan Kraft made friends with the big Olympic hill again in front of 9,000 spectators and was satisfied with eleventh place.

Last year Kraft had failed in the qualification. “Today we weren’t scared, I felt very comfortable right away and had a good height. We’re friends again, the hill and I,” said the man from Salzburg, who was fifth from Oberstdorf and is still fully involved in the Tournament race. Unlike last year, Kraft will again spend a quieter New Year’s Eve. “Thank goodness this will be a more comfortable evening for me,” he said and grinned. The recently injured world champion used the rest day on Friday to recharge his batteries with a sauna, massage and light strength training.

Fettner, who ended the year with a good feeling, is also on the upswing. “I’m happy with the day and looking forward to the new year,” said the veteran. At the start in Oberstdorf, the 37-year-old was still struggling with the inrun, and on Saturday it was the big topic of conversation at the second stage of the tour. The qualification took place at temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius, a challenge for organizers and jumpers. “The track is brutally out of round, it feels like in Bormio, I think,” said Kraft, alluding to the restless ice piste with the alpine colleagues.

Warm temperatures are also forecast for New Year’s Day, and the track is to be milled again in advance. “You still have to dare to do a real fighting squat, just stay brave,” emphasized Kraft. Jan Hörl, in 22nd place in the qualification, spoke to the APA of a “mogul slope”. Fettner still found something positive, the track is harder than at the start of the tour, so the approach works much better for him. “Certain little things make a big difference.”

Tour leader Granerud, meanwhile, wasn’t satisfied with his qualifying performance. The Norwegian admitted that he had some problems with the bumpy start. “It wasn’t ideal. But I know what I have to do.” Daniel Tschofenig was eighth, Michael Hayböck, despite a bad landing, completed a strong ÖSV performance in twelfth place. “It was positive and not that easy,” summed up ÖSV head coach Andreas Widholzl. “There’s still room for improvement.” All ÖSV eagles survived the cut of the top 50 and will be in the knockout duels on Sunday (2 p.m. / live ORF 1). “We can slide over there and attack cleverly,” said Kraft.

The ski jumpers will traditionally spend the New Year’s Eve quietly in the team quarters. “At some point the time will come when I’ll be there as a spectator on January 1st and have a good one in the battery. But the day hasn’t come yet, I won’t wake up with a headache,” assured Fettner. Tschofenig will “sleep over” into the new year, before that he will enjoy “a good meal” and “maybe have a beer”. It will be similar with Kraft: “I will not have bags under my eyes, I will start the new year full of joy and with new energy.”