Innsbruck: Ryoyu Kobayashi aims for the second Grand Slam
Jan 03, 2022·Ski Jumping
His second Grand Slam after 2018/19 is coming within reach for Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi. After his two wins in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Kobayashi was also the best in Monday's qualification for the competition on the Bergisel in Innsbruck. Kobayashi is the "man of the hour".
In the official training in Innsbruck, it was Markus Eisenbichler who provided the highlight with an amazing jump of 139 m, but in the qualification later today, Ryoyu Kobayashi came out on top again. The 25-year-old posted a jump of 126.5 m and came in 1.4 points ahead of Austria's Jan Hoerl and 4.9 points ahead of Killian Peier of Switzerland.
Just like when he took the Grand Slam in 2018/19, Kobayashi seems to be unbeatable right now. "Ryoyu Kobayashi is extremely strong and consistent right now, that's why I ended up second. I'm extremely happy, it was a very good jump again and I have to continue working from there. I was never that far away, I only made small mistakes that had big consequences", explained Jan Hoerl.
Once again Slovenia's Lovro Kos could show a convincing performance. After his third place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the 22-year-old rising star presented himself in strong shape again and finished fifth. Kos is currently on the sensational third place in the 4-Hills-Tournament overall ranking.
Severin Freund was the best German in sixth place today: "It's not always guaranteed that it goes well on a hill where you have been training a lot. But Innsbruck is really a special hill, here it can help if you already worked on a concept in summer. I shall not look for the perfect position here too early but towards the end of the radius", Freund said after his strong performance.
Markus Eisenbichler was satisfied after the qualification: "The qualification was okay, I'm satisfied with the eighth place. I don't worry about the overall ranking today, maybe in Bischofshofen, but not today!, said Eisenbichler. Karl Geiger was tenth this afternoon.
The 70th 4-Hills-Tournament is becoming a huge disappointment for Poland's Kamil Stoch. Stoch is still struggling during this Tournament, he was only 59th and clearly failed to make the cut for the competition.
In his first appearance in the World Cup this season, Michael Hayboeck was 51st and could also not qualify.
The third competition of the 4-Hills-Tournament starts on Tuesday at 1:30 pm CET.
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