Statements after the 4-Hills opener
The 4-Hills-Tournament 2012/13 startet with an exciting and spectacular competition in Oberstdorf. FISskijumping.com spoke to athletes and coaches after the event.
Thomas Morgenstern: I didn't really feel anything under the ski and I don't know how much was my fault. I was in a good shape and also gained some self-confidence with the second place in the trial round. If other factors then play a role in the competition it's annoying but life goes on and you have to look ahead. I don't have to think about the overall ranking anymore now but I already experienced what it feels like to win the 4-Hills and I know that a lot has to work perfectly to achieve that.
Martin Schmitt: It was a great competition for me. My jumps were good and it was a lot of fun. The atmosphere was fantastic. I enjoyed it today, also because I know that I won't experience it again many times. The journey is not over yet for me. I try to continue working and stabilize my performance on this level. It's a great sport and if it goes well and everything starts to work out fine it's even more fun.
Tom Hilde: Many only spoke about the Germans and the Austrians and that's good for us. There's always a lot of pressure at the first event of the 4-Hills-Tournament and so it's an advantage if other teams get most of the attention. Anders already proved once that he can win the 4-Hills-Tournament. But the most important thing is to stay healthy and have enough energy for all four competitions. Then you'll see what's the result at the end.
Werner Schuster: The competition was not easy. Our team was very strong but our top jumpers had some problems to show consistency here. Despite bad jumps Severin remained calm and also had the necessary luck. For him it was a great experience today and it was a great start for all of us.
Alexander Pointner: Anders Jacobsen was an underdog for me. He showed consistent performances here and the victory was well-deserved. He had nothing to lose and this was his big advantage today. Now we will see how consistent he can be at the next events. It's difficult with the suits. Every athlete gets close to the limit and you can't have them checked before the competition. Andi Kofler did not use a bigger suit on purpose. If you were on the podium in the last competitions and are one of the favorites for the 4-Hills you don't do this to maybe jump a little bit farther. The athlete is always responsible for the equipment.
Andreas Wellinger: I'm very satisfied. I was able to improve compared to yesterday and it's great that I finished tenth in my first competition at the 4-Hills-Tournament. I had a little bit of bad luck with the wind today, but my jumps were a lot better than yesterday.