The German ski jumpers have started the Olympic season in great style. Former mixed world champion Katharina Althaus came second at the World Cup season opener in Lillehammer, Norway, and Olympic champion and world champion Carina Vogt was third. The DSV duo only had to admit defeat to the Norwegian Maren Lundby.
“This is incredible. I started the season rather moderately, now I’m on the podium with Katharina. It couldn’t have been better than that,”Vogt said on ZDF. The 25-year-old had to pause two months in preparation because of a knee injury.
Althaus missed her second World Cup victory with 262.2 points after February 2017 in Ljubno by 9.3 points.
“I’m more than satisfied. I’m happy to be on the podium with Carina,”said Althaus, who had been leading after the first round. Lundby secured her fifth career success with an outstanding second attempt with 271.5 points.
Vogt, who has won more than twice as many gold medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games as World Cups, beat Sara Takanashi, the record-breaking World Cup winner with 252.2 points, who had won 53 of the previous 97 jumping competitions,”We see that we can also win,”said national trainer Andreas Bauer.
Mixed world champion Svenja Würth came in a strong sixth place. At the age of 18, Gianina Ernst, who was already extremely experienced at the age of 18, and who was second in Lillehammer in December 2013 at her first World Cup, flew onto the podium for the only time in her career, also showed a strong early form with her eighth best result in almost four years.
“We have four jumpers with half the Olympic norm, what more could we ask for,”said Bauer:”We have won two podium places today, not lost the victory,” Juliane Seyfarth convinced with eleventh place, Anna Rupprecht came in 24th. at least world points.
On Saturday there will be another individual jump from the small Olympic ski jump in Lillehammer, on Sunday the 30 best jumpers of the first two days will compete from the big ski jump. The World Cup will be held on 16/17. December in Hinterzarten/Black Forest.