Ryoyu Kobayashi the best on day 1 in Planica
Mar 21, 2019·Ski Jumping
Ryoyu Kobayashi won the final qualification of the 2018/19 Ski Jumping winter season. With a jump of 248 m (247.8 points), the 22-year-old Japanese, who has already claimed the overall World Cup title this season, jumped on the same distance as second-placed Markus Eisenbichler (248 m; 245.0 points). The third place in the qualification went to Slovenia's Timi Zajc.
Ryoyu Kobayashi continues in Planica exactly where he left off in Vikersund last weekend. With an outstanding jump from gate 1, Kobayashi came in ahead of Markus Eisenbichler, who was in the lead until the very last jumper of the qualification. Eisenbichler posted a fantastic jump of 248 m earlier, but Ryoyu Kobayashi also proved to be unbeatable in the qualification in Planica - amazing.
In bright sunshine and springlike temperatures, the world's best ski flyers turned Thursday in Planica into a Ski Flying festival. 15 000 fans came to the HS 240 Letalnica Ski Flying hill on Thursday morning to cheer on the athletes.
Stefan Kraft, local hero Domen Prevc and Kamil Stoch of Poland came in on the places four to six.
With a record field of 71 competitors, 31 did not make the cut for Friday's competition. Among them such well-known names like Anders Fannemel, Robert Kranjec, and Stefan Hula.
The first individual competition in Planica will be held tomorrow, followed by a team event on Saturday and the final of the Top 30 athletes on Sunday. The six jumps in the three competitions and the qualification jump from today will all be added for the final special ranking this winter: the Planica-7. The winner will receive a prize money of CHF 20 000.-.
The big crystal globe for the overall World Cup winner will go to Ryoyu Kobayashi, but the fight for the small globe for this season's best ski flyer is still up for grabs. Ryoyu Kobayashi, Markus Eisenbichler, Stefan Kraft and Kamil Stoch will fight for this title.
