Granerud wins Kulm and leads World Cup Overall
Jan 28, 2023·Ski Jumping
Halvor Egner Granerud from Norway won todays exciting Ski Flying competition at Kulm in Tauplitz/Bad Mitterndorf. Local hero Stefan Kraft followed in second place, Slovenia's Domen Prevc came in third.
It was the first Ski Flying competition of the season. The third largest Ski Flying hill in the world was the venue for a World Cup Ski Flying event again after three years. In 2020, Piotr Zyla from Poland and Stefan Kraft from Austria had won at Kulm. Also today both presented themselves in top shape, but the winner of the Four Hills Tournament, Halvor Egner Granerud, was not to be beaten.
"In the last two seasons the ski flying took place at times when I just wasn't in good shape, so it's the first time since Planica 2020 that I started in a good shape in Flying. It was really fun and I am very happy with my jumps today," Granerud said after the competition. It was the first ever win in a Ski Flying competition for the Norwegian.
"It's a great feeling to be back in the yellow bib. I have been fighting to get it since I gave it away after the season 2020/2021 in Planica. Almost two years later, I have it again." Halvor Egner Granerud said.
Granerud's biggest opponent this winter, Dawid Kubacki, finished 10th. Before the competition, the two were separated by just 48 points in the overall World Cup, which gave Granerud the lead in the overall World Cup after today's competition; Granerud is now 26 points ahead of Kubacki.
Granerud also leads the Ski Flying World Cup after his success.
Granerud showed two great and constant jumps on 238 and 231 meters. He took the lead already in the first round and secured his advantage over Kraft, who finished second, 8.8 points behind.
Domen Prevc from Slovenia celebrated his first podium after almost four years of drought. The Slovenian delivered a close fight with Piotr Zyla from Poland. Only 2.4 points decided in favor of Prevc, who proved that he belongs to the real ski flying specialists. His last two podium finishes also came from flying hills (Planica and Vikersund).
"I am very, very happy. I never thought I would make it this far. If I make the same jumps tomorrow, I will be more than happy," Prevc said.
Jan Hoerl finished fifth, confirming the good performance of Austria's top jumpers. Manuel Fettner (20th), Clemens Leitner (21st), Philipp Aschenwald (24th) and Ulrich Wohlgenannt (30th) also scored points.
Michael Hayböck and Daniel Tschofenig did not start, both had to miss the race due to flu.
The best-placed Slovenian athlete in the World Cup, Anze Lanisek, could not make his mark as hoped and finished 13th. Besides Prevc, Timi Zajc (6th) and Ziga Jelar (7th) also made it into the top 10.
Zajc's second jump was the highlight of the competition when he landed at 243 meters, just one meter short from Peter Prevc's hill record.
Two German athletes were able to place in the top 10. Markus Eisenbichler finished eighth and Andreas Wellinger ninth. The other jumpers from Stefan Horngacher's team could not qualify for the final round.
Switzerland's Dominik Peter took his first World Cup points this season in 27th place. Alex Insam was the best Italian in 26th place, while Giovanni Bresadola missed the jump into the second round.
The second competition at Kulm starts on Sunday at 14.15 CET. The qualification round will start at 12:45.
)
