Daiki Ito wins qualification in Oberstdorf and gets 1000€ prize money

Daiki Ito wins qualification in Oberstdorf and gets 1000€ prize money

16/02/2013 15:24

Although the Germans Richard Freitag and Severin Freund have been best in training, it was the Japanese Daiki Ito, who was able to get himself the win yesterday. His flight of 198.5m (184.3points) was not even beatable by Stefan Kraft, who became second (198m; 183points). Freitag, who was able to take the qualification victories in Willingen and Klingenthal as well, had to be happy with the third place for 185.5m (178.7points). The Norwegian team, which is currently second in the team ranking of this tour, presented itself as the strongest with four athletes being in top ten: Jacobsen as fourth, Bardal as sixth, Tom Hilde on the seventh rank and Kim Rene Elverum Sorsell finishing on the tenth place. Rune Velta became twelfth, while Fannemel and Stjernen are already prequalified. Severin Freund, who’s fighting for the title of the best German along with Freitag, took the fifth place with a performance of 202.5m, by far the longest jump in the qualification. His landing cost him the points he would have needed to win. Taku Takeuchi supported Ito on rank eight ahead of Vladimir Zografski.

Anders Johnson made it on the competition list on place 24, Kaarel Nurmsalu finally seems to find the right competition form (17th). Poland didn’t travel to Oberstdorf with the best jumpers, who need to prepare for the upcoming World-Championships in Val di Fiemme next week. But the young jumpers, who are holding up the flag for their nation, got good results having Klemens Muranka as 18th and Krzysztof Biegun as 21st. Jan Ziobro (27th) and Bartlomiej Klusek (28th) completed the team.

The Finns will have mixed feelings after yesterday’s qualification. Their best man Lauri Asikainen missed to qualify, as well as did the young Ossi-Pekka Valta. But Olli Muotka (22nd) and Sami Heiskanen (26th) get their chance to show their best today.

Also nice to mention is the 13th rank of Karl Geiger (175.5m), who shows the same level as his teammate Wellinger (15th) with this.

Matjaz Pungertar, who seemed to be on a rising cloud couldn’t take his chance to qualify for today.

The only Greek jumper in the qualification could not make it into the competition either. Nico Polychronidis has been on a HS213 for the first time and finished it with 138.5m on the 35th rank. If his progress continues like this, we’ll be able to see him in a competition soon.

I personally like the idea of honoring qualification victories, so I’m happy about the fact that every team tour qualification this season was endowed with 1000 or 2000€. What will be even more honored is the winning team of this season’s Verivox team tour: It will take home 100.000€. But is it already clear that it will be Slovenia? Or does the Norwegian, German or even Austrian team still have a chance to change this? We’ll find out soon in today’s individual competition at 17.00 and tomorrow’s team flying at 17.00 also.

We are excited about your discussion about the team tour. Leave your comment here!

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• By Peggy Kierstan (@pikayartist)