Won the jumping but lost the tournament? Was the Bergisel the preliminary decision in the fight for overall victory at the Four Hills Tournament in favor of Halvor Egner Granerud? I think so, because it’s almost impossible for Dawid Kubacki to catch up by more than 20 points in just one competition.
But first things first: Everything went like clockwork for the Poles up until the second half. Like Stefan Kraft, Granerud was earlier in poor conditions in Garmisch and only jumped 123 meters. When the wind got steadily better, the jury had to shorten the time. Best conditions for Kubacki, whose support team did not have to take the risk of a shortening after the trainer’s decision. With a great jump, the gap to Granerud melted away.
But in the second round things turned around and Granerud took his chance: With a brilliant jump and a daring Telemark at 133 meters the Norwegians’ Bergisel curse was broken and the tournament was as good as won. Kubacki’s second jump wasn’t his best, so he will probably celebrate his victory with mixed feelings.
The Austrians again offered a compact good performance, four jumpers among the first ten are impressive. The jubilation in the stadium, which I was able to experience on the spot again this time, was contagious. The fact that so many local athletes were still there when the competition reached the home stretch was celebrated all around. And yet, as a former coach who always aimed for the absolute top, I cannot be satisfied. Even if Kraft’s second jump was much better again – in front of him are three athletes who are in a league of their own. The ÖSV team currently has nothing to say about victory and needs to be worked on. I think that everyone responsible is aware that the good performance as a team should not only be seen as confirmation, but above all as motivation.
Yesterday was a much more bitter day for DSV head coach Stefan Horngacher. The Germans are completely off the mark, the early elimination of Karl Geiger in qualifying swept the whole team. It is significant that the 13th best placed German Philipp Raimund comes from the Continental Cup and not from the regular team. Harsh criticism in the German media and possibly also internally will not be absent.
Alexander Pointer was the head coach of the ÖSV ski jumpers from 2004 to 2014 and was involved in 99 individual World Cup victories, four overall victories and 32 medals at major events.
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I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
