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 That was the WC '08 |
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Friday, Feb. 22th
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Great Athmosphere
During the whole day there was a great atmosphere around the Ski Flying hill. 12.000 spectators cheered for all the athletes enthusiasticly and were rewarded with distances around 220 metres.
Quotes
Martin Schmitt:
„I have coped quite well with the hill right from the beginning. Ski flying really makes fun here. Today I made the best out of it. I managed to fly and really was able to enjoy the whole flight. I am slowly getting back to my former power. After the last weekend in Willingen, I have made a huge step forward. It is a fabulous ski flying event. A big “thank you” to all the spectators, the atmosphere is great!”
Peter Rohwein:
„Martin has shown solid standard jumps today. But I am sure that he is able to do more.”
Georg Späth:
„It did not work out the way that I expected. The trial round went quite well. But now it did not work at all. I will try to improve and am glad to have the opportunity to participate again tomorrow.”
Michael Uhrmann:
„I am not really satisfied. The second jump was good, but I had lost much too much speed in the first. It is my ambition to reach a place under the first 15. Maybe this is still possible. I will approach tomorrow’s jumps relaxedly and will try to make my way to the top step by step.”
Michael Neumayer:
„I did have some problems during the jump, had difficulties during the takeoff and did not gain enough height. But it was not bad, if I manage to do a good takeoff I will be able to jump 200 metres. It has to happen unknowingly with the foot. Tomorrow I will try to overcome these mistakes and stabilise myself for Sunday. The team jumping is my priority now. The positive thing is that all the four of us have qualified for the individual final. After all, there is no need for us to hide from anyone.”
Martin Koch:
„I am completely satisfied. My intensive preparation has paid off. Everybody has his aim towards which he works. It was my aim to become World Champion in ski flying.”
Thomas Morgenstern:
„It has been great to notice that I have got the feeling back. It is gigantic. Tomorrow we will try to attack again as team. Everybody will give his best and do their part. My last jump has brought me closer to Romoeren again. This gives me an optimistic feeling for tomorrow. I jumped with joy again. It´s pretty close, it´s as if everything starts again tomorrow. You can compensate the lack of distance by good grades and most of the time the grades I get are very good. Actually I made the deal with Martin that I win the World Cup and he becomes World Champion. If he has the chance, he truly deserves it.”
Halftime in Oberstdorf – Romoeren is the leader
Two scored rounds lie behind the athletes and Norway´s Bjoern Einar Romoeren is in the most promising position for the second day of the competition. With distances of 214,5 and 213,5 metres the winner of the Willingen World Cup made sure the lead ahead of Gregor Schlierenzauer and Martin Koch.
18 years old Schlierenzauer ranks close behind the Norwegian and only missed the lead by 2,2 points. So the Austrian stressed his ambition on the title with widths of 212 and 217,5 metres as well. A further Austrian Martin Koch scored the farthest jumps of the day (221 metres). Only his grades weren´t as good as his competitors´ ones. Finally he became third but he ranks by only 0,6 points behind his team mate.
Koch has also scratched the hill record of 223 metres which was scored by Roar Ljoekelsoey in 2004. The Norwegian was out of luck today. His distance of 176 metres wasn´t far enough to qualify for the second round.
The gaps between the first three athletes are quite little, just the gap to Thomas Morgenstern on place four is a bit bigger. Nevertheless everything is still possible on Saturday. Overall World Cup winner Thomas Morgenstern values the situation like this: “It´s pretty close, it´s as if everything starts again tomorrow. You can compensate the lack of distance by good grades and most of the time the grades I get are very good.“
Behind Morgenstern Adam Malysz (POL), Janne Happonen, Janne Ahonen (both FIN), Andreas Kuettel (SUI), Olli Harri (FIN) and Simon Ammann (SUI) took over places five to ten.
Bjoern Einar Romoeren leads after first scored round
The first scored round has been finished just now. In front of an audience of 12.000 spectators Norway´s Bjoern Einar Romoeren has taken over the lead with 214,5 metres ahead of Austrian Gregor Schlierenzauer (Photo) who landed at 212 metres. Martin Koch (AUT) scored the farthest jump (115 metres) in the starting field but he didn´t get good grades due to a less perfect landing.
As best German Martin Schmitt ranks on place ten so far. He crossed the 200 metres as well and exulted in the outrun. The athletes from the German Ski team overcame the first obstacle: All four have qualified for the second scored round.
Favorites strive for farthest jump
After the trial round Oleksander Lasrovich from the Ukraine will open the first scored round at 4.30 pm. Wearing bib number ten the local hero Georg Spaeth will be shouted encouragement by the great number of fans in the outrun area.
While the German athletes jump off as 14th (Michael Uhrmann), 22nd (Martin Schmitt) and 28th (Michael Neumayer) the best ten jumpers of the overall World Cup standings go down the hill at the end of the round.
Especially the Norwegians around Bjoern Einar Romoeren and Anders Jacobsen as well as Finland´s Janne Ahonen and Austrian Martin Koch have called attention with good performances in training and qualification. Also the overall World Cup winner Thomas Morgenstern (AUT) and Pole Adam Malysz must be counted among the favorites.
Ski flyers get ready for the first two scored rounds
Already at the first day of the Ski Flying World Championships both athletes and audience provided a great atmosphere at the Heini Klopfer Ski Flying Hill. After the sportive part in the afternoon the event was opened in the Nordic Park in the centre of Oberstdorf. During the ceremony also the official ski fyling song „Spring“ was performed by the band BEN*JAMMIN.
On Friday it´s getting serious: At 3 pm the athletes will complete their trial jump before they have to set the first relevant distance at 4.30 pm in the first scored round. While the audience will support 40 flyers at their first jump, the starting field is limited to 30 athletes in the second round. These 30 jumpers will also take part in the further two rounds on Saturday where they start off in the reverse order of the results from Friday.
Walter Hofer explains the mode of the competition like this: “In the qualification we have reduced the number of participants to 40. Today the first competition round will consist of 40 athletes. In the final round we will see the best 30 athletes of the first round. These 30 athletes will compete again on Saturday.“
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