Markus Eisenbichler and Karl Geiger in shape

Karl Geiger and Markus Eisenbichler have once again proven their good ski jumping form and one less major competitor in the race for overall tour victory. In the qualification for the New Year’s competition of the Four Hills Tournament, Eisenbichler jumped 135.5 meters and took third place. The Oberstdorf opener Geiger finished fifth with 132 meters. The Slovenian Anze Lanisek secured victory on Thursday ahead of the previous season high-flyer Halvor Egner Granerud from Norway.

His compatriot and co-favorite Marius Lindvik could not jump because of a bad toothache. The 22-year-old, who finished third in Oberstdorf, traveled to Innsbruck to see a doctor and will be canceled for jumping this Friday (2 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Four Hills Tournament, on ARD and Eurosport). Last year’s winner from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and overall runner-up in 2019/20 no longer has a chance of winning the golden eagle for the touring champion. In addition, the Corona issue in Garmisch was bigger than hoped: A Russian athlete tested positive for the virus.

“Our two top athletes showed solid jumps,” said national coach Stefan Horngacher. “We didn’t necessarily catch the best wind, but the quality of the jumps was high again.” Geiger assessed the sporty New Year’s Eve as follows: “I’m actually very satisfied. It wasn’t quite perfect now, but that’s a good sign. “

In addition to him and Eisenbichler, seven other Germans qualified for the second act of the big air show around the turn of the year. The still in shape Olympic champions Andreas Wellinger, Luca Roth and Kilian Märkl, however, are not allowed to participate in one of the 25 knockout duels of the first round of the competition.

Geiger won the start of the hill spectacle in his home town on Tuesday just before the Pole Kamil Stoch. For the first time since Severin Freund 2015, a German had triumphed on the Schattenbergschanze shortly after Christmas.

In the close overall tour standings, Geiger is one and a half meters ahead of Stoch. Overall World Cup leaders Granerud (six meters) and Eisenbichler (nine meters) are also within striking distance. “Markus still has every chance,” said Horngacher. “It is important that he stays with his things and that he stays focused on ski jumping.” It is not foreseeable that this year an athlete like Ryoyu Kobayashi two years ago or Stoch 2017/18 will completely dominate the tour.

If Geiger had also won in Garmisch, he would have achieved something that Sven Hannawald recently did: the now 46-year-old also won in 2002 after his opening success on the Great Olympic Hill. Five days later he celebrated the last German tour victory to date.