The German team is looking
forward to the home events this weekend
Andreas Wank, Andreas Wellinger and Michael Neumayer
- FIS
The World Cup opening is something special for all
ski jumpers, this year this applies first and foremost
to the German athletes. They can look forward to
compete against the best in the world in two home
events right at the beginning of the season.
"We are really looking forward to the start
of the Olympic winter. Especially because we can
present ourselves in front of a home crowd in the
first World Cup competitions. We expect many fans
and that they will turn the first World Cup into
a big festival of ski jumping", head coach
Werner Schuster told in a media release of the German
Ski Association (DSV).
After the last training camps in Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Oberstdorf and Klingenthal, Schuster is now confident
when it comes to the upcoming season. "Our
team as a whole made some progress. Besides Severin
Freund and Richard Freitag also Andreas Wellinger
is on the right track. He won the Summer Grand Prix
and so he is very motivated for the winter. Michael
Neumayer is not in his top shape yet, but a 34-year-old
athlete knows what to do and will make up for a
lack of training with his experience in the competitions.
Andreas Wank is also an athlete who can achieve
Top 3, respectively Top 10 results".
Richard Freitag will miss the first few weeks of
the season due to a fatigue fracture, Schuster expects
his return to the team on time for the 4-Hills-Tournament.
Besides Freund, Wellinger, Neumayer and Wank, also
Maximilian Mechler, Karl Geiger and Marinus Kraus
are on the German team for Klingenthal.
For Severin Freund, this mix of young and more experienced
athletes is an important factor in order be successful.
"Right now we have a good mix of jumpers, who
were already successful and young athletes, who
want to be just that. So we motivate each other
and the level of performance within the team gets
higher."
Despite he is only 18 years old, Andreas Wellinger
already achieved some successes, like the overall
title of the GP 2013. "Of course I enjoy going
to Klingenthal after my success in summer. I have
a positive feeling, also because of the great atmosphere.
But I know, that this summer's success doesn't automatically
guarantee that I will be successful also in winter."
Andreas Wank and Michael Neumayer are also especially
looking forward to the home crowd at the hill this
weekend. "Our whole team wants to show good
performances to the many, many ski jumping fans
and so we are very motivated for these events",
said Wank. Veteran Michael Neumayer agrees. "I've
been in the World Cup for many years, but I haven't
experienced a World Cup opening in Germany yet.
I'm really looking forward to it and I'm very motivated,
especially if the atmosphere and the support of
the spectators will be like it has always been in
Klingenthal."
