Even if the chances of an Austrian tour triumph have fallen to a minimum following the third stop in Innsbruck, the red-white-red “Eagles” celebrated a ski jumping festival on the Bergisel. “Oh, how beautiful that is! You haven’t seen something like that in a long time,” chanted the majority of the 21,000 enthusiastic visitors in the almost sold-out “Kessel”.
There was a good reason for this: Jan Hörl celebrated his second World Cup victory with distances of 134 and 127.5 meters, thus ending a longer ÖSV dry spell on the tour. The 25-year-old from Salzburg is the first domestic Bergisel champion since Gregor Schlierenzauer in 2013 and the first Austrian since Daniel Huber (Bischofshofen/January 6, 2022) to jump to the top podium of an individual competition.
But that’s not enough. The team unity at the top of the world was impressive in the strongly changing wind: with Hörl, the third-placed Theninger Michael Hayböck, Stefan Kraft (6th), Daniel Tschofenig (8th), Clemens Aigner (9th) and the 17-year-old top talent Stephan Embacher (13th), which Schlierenzauer has under his wing, an ÖSV sextet landed in the top 13.
It’s clear that head coach Andreas Widhölzl was in a good mood: “It was an incredible team performance in difficult conditions. I’m extremely proud, the boys stayed cool,” said the Tyrolean happily.
“Victory or coffin …”
Nevertheless, the object of desire, the Golden Eagle for the overall champion, is further away than before. Before the final on Saturday (4:30 p.m., ORF 1) at the Epiphany competition in Bischofshofen, the Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi, who came second in Innsbruck, is now 4.8 points ahead of Andreas Wellinger (D) – fifth this time – and a whopping 23.6 points ahead of Hörl.
The latter promises – driven by euphoria – an unconditional attack: “A victory on the Bergisel is a dream, it makes me extremely proud. I feel in great shape,” said the man, who was more confident on the jump than when he chose words on ORF -Winner’s interview appeared. “For me it was full attack – win or coffin, that works best for me,” he let the audience know.
Well, that was a bit excessive. You don’t juggle life and death.
“Now it’s over”
Hayböck, who climbed the podium in an individual competition for the first time since March 1, 2020 (third in Lahti), put on a more serious performance. Not just because of the daily maximum distance of 135.5 meters in the final round. “I’m grateful to have had the good luck of being able to do some cool jumps. The circumstances were generally difficult,” explained the Upper Austrian. The heavenly wind was definitely not on the side of Kraft, who had longed for a turbulent competition. That was also the case – but to his disadvantage.
Image: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH
Before the World Cup leader’s second jump, it was blowing so hard that Kraft had to wait 20 minutes for his start. Something like that also puts a strain on your nerves. “I shouldn’t despair, unfortunately I wasn’t rewarded. I don’t have to think regarding winning the tour anymore, now it’s over. But it would have been possible, everything might have turned around here on the Bergisel.”
But his colleagues’ podium places are more than little consolation for Kraft, who is 31.8 points behind Kobayashi. “I’m very happy for Jan and Michi, we’ll have a nice evening.” It is questionable whether Wellinger still sleeps well. He has lost his “pole position”. “Now I’m the hunter, I can come to terms with that,” he said.
Author
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
Alexander Zambarloukos
