Fettner and Zografski cheer in Klingenthal
Oct 08, 2023·Ski Jumping
With Austria's Manuel Fettner and Bulgaria's Vladimir Zografski two experienced athletes celebrated victories at the FIS Grand Prix Final in Klingenthal (GER). Manuel Fettner was happy about the day's victory ahead of Poland's Dawid Kubacki and Daniel Tschofenig (AUT). Vladimir Zografski celebrated his deserved success in the overall ranking of the FIS Grand Prix 2023.
"This victory feels cool. Today it was generally not easy to jump and you also needed the necessary bit of luck. The success makes me confident for the winter, also because here really all teams with all top athletes were at the start," said Fettner.
For the 38-year-old the victory was the second success in an FIS Grand Prix competition after the success in Courchevel (FRA) 2022.
Second-placed Dawid Kubacki from Poland once again confirmed his extra class in the summer with his top result, and Daniel Tschofenig from the Austrian team has long since ceased to be an insider tip. Quite a few experts have the 21-year-old from SV Achomitz at the top of their lists of favorites for the coming winter.
But the man of the day was the Bulgarian Vladimir Zografski. With 11th place in the daily ranking Zogafski did not achieve a top result, but the placement was enough to keep Gregor Deschwanden from Switzerland at a distance in the Grand Prix overall ranking.
Deschwanden finished 7th today and made up some points, but in the end Zografski had a lead of 22 points (604 to 582) over Deschwanden.
A great success for the 30-year-old Zografski, the biggest in his career so far. Zografski thus Grand Prix overall winner ahead of Gregor Deschwanden and Japan's Ren Nikaido.
In the daily ranking the two superstars Halvor Egner Granerud (NOR) and Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) were convincing on rank 4 and 5 as well as Martin Hamann on rank 6, who was the best German even ahead of Andreas Wellinger on rank 8.
On Sunday, the final mixed team competition is on the agenda for the ski jumpers.
The World Cup season will start on the last weekend in November in Ruka, Finland, at the Arctic Circle.
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