The first Ski Jumping World Cup in Wisla last weekend marked the start of a new winter sports season. It is a new season with hopes and worries: hope for the possibility to carry out the entire winter without renewed Corona restrictions again with spectators and the concern about the energy costs and generally high prices for hosting the World Cups. And of course with the hope of a snowy season to be able to hold the competitions. On the first weekend of November in Wisla, the ski jumpers jumped on green artificial mats, which on the one hand spoils the winter sports feeling, but on the other hand makes it easier to save resources and to carry out competitions even without the snow at the venue.
Foto: Skispringennews.de
In Wisla it started equally for the ski jumpers with the start into the season. The Norwegian Silje Opseth and the two Austrians Marita Kramer and Eva Pinkelnig were able to convince in the women's opening jump. In the second jumping Eva Pinkelnig won ahead of the DSV jumper Katharina Althaus and the Swede Frida Westman. In the men's event Dawid Kubacki from Poland was the local hero and won twice in front of his home crowd. But also the successful Norwegian from the previous season Halvor Egner Granerud made a statement with his second place that he is to be reckoned with in the coming season. Third place in the first competition went to Stefan Kraft and in the second to the Olympic champion from Beijing Marius Lindvik. Second place in the second World Cup jumping went to Slovenia's Anze Lanisek. The German flyers unfortunately did not make it into the top ten. At the moment there is again a break until the next World Cup in Ruka, Finland, at the end of November. Until then, the nations have time to analyze the first World Cup and to make the last adjustments for the upcoming competitions. Thus, it remains exciting who will dominate the coming season. A highlight here will certainly be, in addition to the Four Hills Tournament, the Nordic World Ski Championships in February and March in Planica.
The cross-country skiers had to struggle with the lack of snow in the venues of test races at the start of the season, but they will start the World Cup on the last weekend of November in Ruka, Finland, where there should be snow. The biathletes also start the winter sports season at the end of November in Kontiolahti, Finland. In February 2023, the World Championships in Oberhof will be the highlight of the calendar. The nations are now in their final preparation camps in Finland, Sweden and Norway and are preparing for the coming season in test races. Here, too, it remains exciting who will stand on the podiums of the competitions during the season, especially since, for example, in the Norwegian women's team it is unclear whether Tiril Eckhoff will be able to participate in the World Cup races later on, as she is currently suffering from sleep disorders and is not fit for the races. Olympic champion Marte Olsbu Roiseland is also starting the season with a training backlog due to shingles and will hopefully be able to compete in Kontiolahti.
Fotos: K.Voigt Fotografie