COC-M: Aigner and Jelar celebrate in Bischofshofen
Jan 12, 2019·Ski Jumping
The schedule for the Continental Cup in Bischofshofen (AUT) was changed on short notice and so both competitions on the Paul-Ausserleitner-hill were held on Saturday.
In the first event, Clemens Aigner showed an outstanding performance. The 25-year-old Austrian had the best jumps in both rounds with 137 m and 138 m and was unbeatable with his total of 286.0 points. This was already the tenth win in the Continental Cup for the Tyrolean.
Slovenia's Ziga Jelar was sixth after the first half of the competition with 131.5 m, with 136.5 m in the final and 269.7 points he came in second overall clearly behind the winner and secured his first podium finish in over a year.
Felix Hoffmann of Germany finished third with 137 m and 132.5 m and 264.7 points. Pius Paschke was fourth, only 0.9 points behind his teammate.
Behind Austrian Clemens Leitner in fifth, Aleksander Zniszczol, who was third after the first round, was the best Pole in sixth. Jonathan Learoyd of France was seventh, followed by Ulrich Wohlgenannt and Gregor Schlierenzauer, who completed a very good team result for Austria. Schlierenzauer, who is struggling with his shape this winter and skipped the 4-Hills-Tournament recently, is competing in a winter COC only for the second time and for the first time since 2006.
The Top 10 were completed by Slovenia's Bor Pavlovcic, Severin Freund was eleventh.
There was only a short break between the first and the second competition today. And this second competition made it a perfect day for Ziga Jelar. The 21-year-old improved his second place from the first event and claimed his first ever win in the Continental Cup with 134.5 m and 127 m and 261.3 points.
After his great performance in the first competition, Clemens Aigner was only eighth after the first round this time with 129 m. A very good second jump of 130.5 m then earned him the second place overall with 259.1 points.
Severin Freund of Germany, who wants to regain his old strength by competing in the COC after a long break due to injuries, could also improve during the course of the day and finished third with 129 m and 127 m and 251.5 points.
Gregor Schlierenzauer could also achieve a better result in the second competition. The Austrian shared the lead after the first round with Ziga Jelar, he could then not defend this position in the final and tied for fourth with Jonathan Learoyd. The young Frenchman posted the longest jump in the second round with 134.5 m and moved up from 18th to fourth.
Germany's Pius Paschke moved up from 20th to sixth with 134 m in the final, behind Slovenia's Bor Pavlovcic (7th), Paschke's teammate Martin Hamann was eighth. 19-year-old Estonian Artti Aigro proved his talent in ninth, Austria's Clemens Leitner was tenth.
Marius Lindvik of Norway still leads the overall ranking with 365 points. Felix Hoffmann (295 points) and Robin Pedersen (275 points) follow in second and third.
The Continental Cup continues next weekend in Sapporo (JPN).
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