The long-distance hunt begins! The new ski flying world champion is being searched for on the ski flying hill at Kulm this weekend. The DSV Eagles arrive with mixed feelings.
It is as old as humanity: the dream of flying. When ski flying, athletes get a little closer to this. Ideally, the body and skis act like the wings of an airplane and provide a special adrenaline rush. If you want to fly far, you need mental strength.
“The head is always important,” says national coach Stefan Horngacher with a view to the Ski Flying World Championships in Bad Mitterndorf/Tauplitz in Austria, which begins on Thursday (January 25, 2023) with qualification.
Ski flying is something completely unique. If it works, it works. If not, then you can’t force it.
Geiger – a sense of achievement on the ski flying hill
The head is currently not playing along with all of his protégés. After a strong start to the season, veteran Karl Geiger is struggling with top places and the double victory in Klingenthal. He has been in a form crisis since the Four Hills Tournament and has lost touch with the best. Even in the past few days in Poland he was unable to stabilize. “Unfortunately it’s not going to be easy, but I’m on it and I won’t let it get me down,” said the Oberstdorfer combatively on Sunday after a disappointing 24th place. Maybe switching to the ski flying hill will play into his hands.
Geiger knows how to fly far, became ski flying world champion in Planica in 2020 and was the best German in eighth place at the Monsterbakken in Vikersund last year. However, the form in which Geiger arrives is not very promising. Things look completely different for his teammate Andreas Wellinger.
Karl Geiger in the air while ski flying in Planica
Wellinger – he has never been a ski flying world champion
In contrast to the other DSV eagles, the 28-year-old has maintained his top form, flies consistently far and is one of the favorites at the Kulm. If you want to win your first ski flying gold, a lot of things have to be right. Wellinger also knows this, and he’s really looking forward to it: “When ski flying, you need the right feeling from the first jump. That’s why the challenge starts on Thursday,” said the Ruhpoldinger, referring to the qualification. After four rounds, the new world champion will be determined on Saturday.
Wellinger hasn’t messed up a single World Cup jump this season and has lost the looseness that ski flying requires and that the rest of the team has lost. “There is a lot to do in the flight phase, we are still a little too tense in the upper body,” said Horngacher after the last jump on Sunday (January 21, 2024) in Zakopane. The fact that Pius Paschke, Stephan Leyhe or Philipp Raimund suddenly have the looseness to fight for the medals is certainly just black, red and gold wishful thinking.
Competition program Ski Flying World Championships Date Competition In the Sportschau Thu., January 25th (2 p.m.) Qualification Individual Fri., January 26th (2 p.m.) 1st & 2nd round Individual ticker Sat., January 27th (2 p.m.) 3 & 4th round individual ticker Sun., January 28th (2 p.m.) Team competition ticker
How can I follow the competitions at sportschau.de?
Sportschau.de offers a live ticker for all competitions. After the decisions, there will also be a highlight summary with the best flights of the day.