Hayböck Third - Tschofenig Wins New Year's Jumping in Garmisch

Hayböck Dritter - Tschofenig gewinnt Neujahrsspringen in Garmisch

Austria's ski jumpers continue to impress: On New Year's Day, Daniel Tschofenig took victory in the second event of the Four Hills Tournament, securing a significant win for Austrian ski jumping.

With jumps of 141.5 and 143 meters, the 22-year-old from Carinthia scored 8.6 points ahead of Swiss Gregor Deschwanden and 9.9 points over his compatriot Michael Hayböck. The overall ranking remains dominated by Austrians with Tschofenig leading ahead of Jan Hörl and kickoff winner Stefan Kraft.

This marks Tschofenig's first victory in Garmisch since Thomas Diethart in 2014. He heads into Innsbruck wearing the blue leader's bib for the tournament but has now taken the overall World Cup lead by two points over five-time season winner Pius Paschke.

In an ORF interview, Tschofenig expressed, "I said before that I liked this jump, and today proved it with two fantastic jumps. I still need a few practice hours on landing."

**The Results: ** With a focus on the next stage in Innsbruck, where qualifiers and competition will take place after a day's break, Kraft stated, "I’m looking forward to the atmosphere at Bergisel, but I know Deschwanden will make it competitive."

Kraft aims to regain his edge, saying, "I’ll try to challenge the young guns. They’re slightly better, but I might use my experience to keep things interesting." The Four Hills Tournament concludes on the Epiphany in Bischofshofen.

Hayböck, who made a record jump of 145 meters in the first round, noted, "It was a lucky day with good winds. I’m thrilled to get this podium place and set a hill record." His collection of top-three finishes now includes all four tournament venues, something missing from his previous records.

Despite finishing 14th, Stefan Kraft echoed his relief, appreciating how he managed to limit his damage on Wednesday. The second jump offered improvement in timing, he added.

Stand of the Four Hills Tournament: Tschofenig now leads by 7.9 points over Hörl and 8.7 over Kraft. "Impressive. I remember dreaming about this when I was a child – and now I get to wear the blue bib – unbelievable," Tschofenig delightedly said after his victory.