Disappointed Forfang Despite Strong Placement: – A Bit Sour

Johann Forfang opened the German-Austrian ski jump week with a strong 5th place finish in Oberstdorf but was not particularly pleased with the outcome. He ended 16.2 points behind the Austrian Stefan Kraft, who won the event, with his compatriots Jan Hörl and Daniel Tschofenig finishing on the podium with second and third place.

"It’s been a long time since I've felt disappointed with a 5th place, but I must admit I had imagined that today could be something truly special," said Forfang. He added, "When I couldn’t achieve it in the final round, it feels a bit sour."

Forfang made a solid start by jumping 140 meters in the first round, placing him fourth. He remarked that it was a good jump, delivered at a crucial moment, and he was pleased with the performance at that time. However, he managed only 136 meters in the final round, dropping to fifth with the sixth-best jump in that round.

Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal also had a promising start, being eighth after the first jump. In the final round, he jumped 135.5 meters, missing his first-round score by a fraction, and climbed to seventh overall.

Benjamin Østvold jumped two places to finish as the third-best Norwegian in thirteenth place, while Halvor Egner Granerud fell four spots in the final round, ending up in sixteenth place.

The Norwegian male ski jumpers haven’t had an optimal season start in the World Cup, with Sundal's third place in Titisee-Neustadt being their only individual podium finish.

The ski jump week typically takes place in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Innsbruck, concluding in Bischofshofen on January 6. Notably, broadcasting rights for the events in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen have not been sold to any Norwegian network, which means those final events will not be televised for Norwegian viewers. Last season, defending champion Ryoyu Kobayashi won, followed by Andreas Wellinger and Stefan Kraft on the podium.