Ski flying super-team: Slovenia, who else?

The "super team" from Slovenia (Domen Prevc and Timi Zajc) won the premiere competition in ski flying in the super team format on Friday. The Slovenians once again confirmed their exceptional position in ski flying.

On the HS 235 meter Heini Klopfer ski flying hill in Oberstdorf, the Slovenians won ahead of the team from Norway (Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal and Johann Andre Forfang) and the Austrians (Michael Hayboeck and Stefan Kraft).

The competition had already been shortened from 3 to 2 rounds before the start due to wind problems the day before. 6,500 spectators at the Oberstdorf ski flying hill were treated to an extremely exciting ski flying event, even though the Slovenians left no doubt in the final that they would be unbeatable that evening. It was the first time that a super team competition was held in ski flying.

" The conditions were really good today and I think all the athletes really enjoyed the competition. Things have been going well for me since my victory last week in Sapporo. Now I have to stay focused and concentrate fully on the two individual competitions on Saturday and Sunday here in Oberstdorf, then we'll see what comes out of it", said the day's winner Domen Prevc. In his current form, hill record holder Domen Prevc (242.5 meters) is also the favorite for the two individual competitions this weekend.

Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal explained for Norway
"I'm over the moon with this result and my jumps today, I've achieved a new personal best and had my best day of ski flying so far. And I think Johann scored the most points in an individual competition today, we are happy as a team and I am also very happy with the day today. Tomorrow it will be interesting to see Johann and Timi, both were really strong today".

"Ski flying is just something different, it went blow by blow today. We both put together a good flight today, but unfortunately not two, which is not enough to win. My second flight today was really cool, it was a bit changeable but in team jumping it always evens out anyway," said Michael Hayböck for the third-placed team from Austria.

Team Germany (Pius Paschke and Andreas Wellinger) had to be satisfied with sixth place behind the teams from Japan and Poland.

"The atmosphere, preparation etc. were all great. The training was good, then I actually got off to a good start in the competition with the first jump, but unfortunately not much went right in the final. I know what the problem was and will definitely try to do better tomorrow and on Sunday," said Andreas Wellinger.

Behind the German team, the two US youngsters Erik Belshaw and Tate Frantz finished very strongly in seventh place. Italy, Finland and Switzerland followed in 8th - 10th place.

The Ukraine in 11th place and behind them the two young Frenchmen Jules Chervet and Valentin Foubert, who also put in a strong performance.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be another individual competition in Oberstdorf, both starting at 16:00.