Winter sports: Stefan Kraft won the Four Hills Tournament – Daily Mirror

20:32 clock Benedict Voigt

Update Stefan force triumphed as the seventh Austrians in a row. The day’s victory in Bischofshofen got his compatriot Michael Hayboeck.

Someone had written “Kraftl” in the snow next to the Paul Ausserleitner hill, and if you looked closer, it was also clear who. The font was wearing the same color as the unusual neonrosarote verges on the landing area. In preparing the hill was probably still had some paint left over, which is why the apparently not so neutral organizers of the final jumping the Four Hills Tournament in writing made clear who applies their cheering Stefan force. And they did not disappoint.

Place three handed in Bischofshofen force for overall victory

The grown at 15 Kilometres Distance Austrians on his home hill the biggest success of his career celebrated. With a third place in Bischofshofen Stefan Kraft won for the first time the Four Hills Tournament. “It’s incredible that it worked here at home,” he said, “I have become a bit nervous at the second run, but when I was down, it was cool.” He continued a tradition that has been going on for seven years at the Four Hills Tournament of: Bischofshofen always celebrates an Austrian overall victory, this time it was even two. 20 000 spectators in Sepp Bradl Stadium were with Bengal lights also the victory of Michael Hayboeck cheer and thus an Austrian double victory in the overall standings.

“It’s a dream” said Michael Hayboeck, “I have always said that I want to celebrate prefer my case the tour first World Cup victory.” Hayboeck, the missing just six points in first place in the standings at the end, won ahead again very strong jumping 42 years old Japanese Noriaki Kasai.

“With the Austrians, we could not keep up,” said head coach Werner Schuster

The German jumpers Richard Freitag and Severin Freund could with places six and not build on the success of Innsbruck eight and joined the tour also in sixth and eight from. There Marinus Kraus, Michael Neumayer and Stephan Leyhe find the squares twelve to fourteen again. A conciliatory completion of a tour that had started badly for the Germans. “It was a difficult tour, but we fought back,” said the German coach Werner Schuster, “but with the Austrians, we could not keep up.”

Simon Ammann crashed heavily

The rotweißrote jubilation, however, was in Bischofshofen overshadowed by Simon Ammann fall in the second round. The Swiss could flights are only briefly to 136 meters, then fell forward into the snow on his face and slid motionless on. He was briefly unconscious and bleeding from the mouth. An ambulance took him to the hospital, according to initial information he had regained consciousness and was able to move his arms and legs. Already in Oberstdorf he crashed after landing, however, because the snow had slowed him and he could immediately get up again. In Bishop furnace, the jumping after him Michael Hayboeck did not affect it. “I have no second thought about it,” he said, “I did not catch the fall properly.”

On Monday, the US-American Nicholas Fairall in qualifying also in Landing a bad fall and had to be performed emergency surgery on the spine. “He survived the surgery and is in good spirits,” said Rick Bell, head of ski jumping team in the US. More details about the injury was not immediately known. Although the Bischofshofen ski jump has an unusually long jump. “When I jumped for the first time in Bischofshofen, I think I’m on a ski slope,” says the Austrian ski expert Toni Innauer. But that had nothing to do with the two falls.

The audience was shocked only momentarily after Simon Ammann fall. Then it celebrated its two local heroes that were carried on the shoulders of their teammates through the stadium. Their success also shows that the Austrian team has the coaching change by Alexander Pointner on Heinz Kuttin well executed. With Stefan Kraft and Michael Hayboeck two friends have won the Tour, traveling they share a double room. Now they are in ski jumping the measure of all things and perform together the World Cup standings. “The yellow jersey inspired me very much, now I also sits still the Kraftl in the neck,” Michael Hayboeck said, “we have shaken both his head and said:. Unbelievable” But at the Four Hills Tournament everything is for jumpers from Austria obviously possible.