Cene Prevc takes qualification win in Titisee-Neustadt
Jan 21, 2022·Ski Jumping
Slovenia's Cene Prevc secured a surprising win in the first qualification of the Ski Jumping World Cup in Titisee-Neustadt. With a jump of 135.5 m, Prevc came in ahead of World Cup leader Ryoyu Kobayashi of Japan and Germany's Karl Geiger.
"The wind was changing today, but I think the conditions were still fair. I'm really surprised that I could win the qualification today, it's my first-ever win in a qualification and it didn't go well for me in training. That's why it was a really surprising result. Now I hope that I jump that well also in the competitions this weekend", said Cene Prevc, whose older brother Peter finished seventh this afternoon.
Halvor Egner Granerud was the best Norwegian in fourth, but the Norwegian team is having major problems due to positive Covid-tests. Fredrik Villumstad and Daniel Andre Tande tested positive after the World Cup in Zakopane, Johann Andre Forfang also received a positive test result just recently. Marius Lindvik, who won in Zakopane last weekend, is not competing in Titisee-Neustadt because he had close contact with his teammates.
For the German it went really well on the hill today, besides Karl Geiger in third, also Markus Eisenbichler (8th), Severin Freund (9th), and Constantin Schmid (10th) finished in the Top 10 in the qualification. But there was also a Covid case in the German team. Andreas Wellinger tested positive right before traveling to Titisee-Neustadt. "My knee is better again and now there's this positive Covid-test. Unfortunately, I can't compete it Neustadt, that's extremely tough for me. It's a setback, especially because the CT value is above 30, but it's still considered positive so it doesn't really matter. I would be able to jump and I would really want to jump, but it's not possible," the 2018 Olympic champion explained.
The first of two competitions in Titisee-Neustadt will start on Saturday at 4:15 pm CET, the second one follows on Sunday at 4 pm CET.
