Karl Geiger cheers after his jump.
Foto: picture alliance/dpa/Daniel Karmann
The day after his terrific home win, Karl Geiger first went to the second mandatory corona test on this Four Hills Tournament. The German ski jumpers made a short stop in Kempten on the way to the New Year’s competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. As veteran Severin Freund admitted, with a portion of stomach grumbling: “There is always nervousness. You can do anything and still it can get you. “
Dream of a home win fulfilled
After all, this is what happened to the hero of these weeks. Karl Geiger had tested positive just four days after his sensational title win at the Ski Flying World Championships in Planica and two days after the birth of his first daughter Luisa. He was only allowed to leave the quarantine after a negative test on the day before qualifying for the tour opening competition. But then with the triumph on his home hill on Tuesday evening, the almost impossible came true. “As a little boy, I stood down at the hill and admired the jumpers during the tour. At the 2005 World Cup, I was allowed to take part as a flag child. And now I stand here and win in this stadium. At home! «Wrote Geiger shortly afterwards on Facebook. “It is an indescribable feeling! A home win I’ve always dreamed of. “
The 27-year-old said after his first triumph, he is happy to take the role of favorites with him to the remaining three stations in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (January 1), Innsbruck (January 3) and Bischofshofen (January 6). After all, Geiger has already proven that he can do brilliantly on all hills. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Bischofshofen, he flew in second place on the tour last winter. And on the legendary Bergiselschanze in Innsbruck, he won team gold and individual silver at the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2019.
The best in wind and snowfall
Over the years the analyst Geiger has come up with a concept that is perfect for him, based on “determination and willpower”. When others are weak in competition, it can often improve again. “I’m mentally going into a tunnel. And when it comes down to it, I press it and attack at full throttle. «That is how it was at the Ski Flying World Championships and now also in Oberstdorf: despite longer breaks – first because of the visit of the heavily pregnant wife and then because of Corona – before both events. During his first tour victory, the conditions in both rounds were extremely difficult, initially with a tail wind and then with snowfall.
Karl Geiger, however, copes with all of this in the “most exciting weeks of my life”. Geiger classifies Kamil Stoch from Poland, who was only 2.8 points behind in Oberstdorf, as the main competitor. But his best buddy Markus Eisenbichler, 16.8 points behind, still has a chance to intervene in the battle for the golden eagle for the overall winner. “We are in the running with our two favorites. Now we go down to a little strength training on the rest day and then prepare for Garmisch, “said national coach Stefan Horngacher:” I hope Karl continues. “The chances are good: The head coach was already in the middle of the quarantine period his previous flyer declares that he would bet on Karl Geiger’s overall victory.
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