Ryoyu Kobayashi in top shape also in Engelberg
Dec 17, 2021·Ski Jumping
Ryoyu Kobayashi took the win in the first qualification for the Ski Jumping World Cup in Engelberg (SUI). On Friday evening, the Japanese posted a jump of 136.5 m on the HS 140 m hill and came in narrowly ahead of Slovenia's Timi Zajc (136.5 m) and Jan Hoerl of Austria (135.5 m). Overall World Cup leader Karl Geiger was the best German in tenth.
In good conditions, the 2018/19 overall World Cup champion could once again prove his top shape right now after his win in Klingenthal last Sunday. Kobayashi was the second-to-last jumper today and took the win from Zajc, who has been in the lead for a long time before that.
Kobayashi was very satisfied with his performance today and said that he will jump far again in the two competitions in Engelberg on Saturday and Sunday (4 pm CET).
Besides the Top 3, also the Norwegians could show convincing performances again. It was not as outstanding as last Sunday in Klingenthal when the Norwegians finished on the places two to six, but in fourth (Robert Johansson), sixth (Marius Lindvik), and ninth (Halvor Egner Granerud) they still achieved a great team result.
"My jump was not the best, but I'm pretty satisfied with how the qualification went for me", Karl Geiger said after finishing tenth. For Geiger, it's about keeping the distance to Kobayashi this weekend. Currently, Karl Geiger leads the overall World Cup with 424 points ahead of Kobayashi, who follows with 316 points, and he sure wants to start the upcoming 4-Hills-Tournament wearing the yellow bib.
Kamil Stoch recovered from the sinusitis that forced him to sit out last Sunday's competition and came in on the strong fifth place today. Stoch's teammate Piotr Zyla was only 60th and surprisingly failed to make the cut in today's qualification.
Roman Koudelka of the Czech Republic had a successful comeback in the World Cup today. After a long break, the five-time World Cup winner finished 41st and qualified for the competition on Saturday.
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