COC-M: Victory for Andreas Wellinger
The athletes’ patience has been tried on this day. In the morning the ladies’ competition took place without any problems, but in the afternoon the conditions were quite difficult to handle. Due to strong wind the jury had to postpone the start of the competition and to cancel the trial round to make two competition rounds possible.
Anyway, things could not go better for Andreas Wellinger on this day. He presented himself in a very good shape and added today’s victory to his streak of success in Kuopio where we was able to achieve two top results. With jumps of 121.5 and 130.5 m, what meant a total of 236.3 points, he showed a performance on a high level and managed to move up from place four to the top of the podium.
“Of course I am very satisfied with my result today. This is the third Continentalcup I have been taking part in. The two places on the podium in Kuopio were so awesome but right now I really don't know what to say. Tomorrow I will try to do my best again, let's see how it will work out for me”, said the winner with a smile on his face.
The second place was taken by Austria’s Wolfgang Loitzl who did not compete at the Continentalcup for the first time this summer. Ranked fifth with 120.5 m in today’s first round, he was able to show a good second jump of 128.5 m and finished on the second place at the end (233.4 points). “I came here to Lillehammer to show good jumps and to achieve good results. There are some important competitions coming up and it will all be about a further start place for the World Cup. Therefor my second place was a very good result. I am satisfied with my performance and I hope tomorrow it will be as good as today or even better."
Jan Matura (CZE) ranked second after the first round with only 0.1 point behind the leader Gregor Deschwanden (SUI), but failed to claim another victory this summer and placed third with jumps of 122 and 125 m (229.3 points). In the overall ranking he extended the lead. “A third place is a very good result, so I am satisfied with it. We all had to fight with the conditions today, I don't think there have been big differences. Today the best of us won the competition, but tomorrow I would like to be one on top of the podium."
Gregor Deschwanden was in the lead after the first round but could not keep up with the other athletes. With rank six, however, he achieved a good result. Peter Prevc, who is in a good shape this summer as well, did not manage to assure his third position after the first round and finished just off the podium in fifth. For Anders Jacobsen, who took part in every Continentalcup this summer successfully, the competition did not end with a place on the podium. After ranking on the 13th place in the first round, he was able to move up to rank nine.
Tomorrow the Continentalcup continues with another individual competition in Lillehammer.