Wellinger wins interrupted jump in Ruka

Andreas Wellinger has secured the German ski jumpers another victory with just one jump. The competition in Ruka had to be abandoned in the second round due to difficult conditions.

On the previous day, adverse conditions had already caused a wind lottery at the Arctic Circle. On Sunday (Dec. 1, 2024), the competition needed to be completely halted due to the constant change of wind, posing a risk to the athletes. “It is the right decision,” said head coach Stefan Horngacher afterward. “The wind has become unpredictable. But of course, we gladly accept the result.”

Geiger also on the podium

Wellinger would certainly have preferred to take his first World Cup victory of the winter under different circumstances. Nonetheless, a superb jump of 146.5 meters in the first round was sufficient for success. "It was a tough competition, also for the jury. When it came down to it for me, I was there," stated Wellinger, who achieved his first win since claiming victory in Willingen last February, marking the eighth of his career.

Karl Geiger also showcased great form, securing third place with a jump of 136.5 meters. Stefan Kraft (Austria) managed to slip in between the two Germans, nearly catching up to Wellinger with a 145-meter jump but finishing 5.4 points behind.

German team's streak continues

This victory marks a continuation of the strong start for German ski jumpers this winter: a DSV (German Ski Association) athlete has stood on the podium in each competition so far. Pius Paschke, who finished seventh with a jump of 144 meters this time, had previously secured two victories. He will continue to jump in yellow in Wisla as the overall World Cup leader.

Before the second jump in Ruka, Paschke was understandably brimming with confidence, having consistently reached the podium in the first four competitions of the season, three of which were victories. Demonstrating feeling comfortable on the Rukatunturi hill, he posted the longest jump of 144.5 meters in the qualification round. When it really mattered during the competition, however, he delivered an almost identical distance but sat in seventh place before the second round.

Wellinger and Geiger in strong form

At the front, Wellinger positioned himself well, making a strong statement amidst the wind lottery that afternoon. After placing fifth the previous day, he enjoyed favorable conditions and executed another clean jump. Thanks to a beautiful telemark landing, the two-time Olympic champion took over the lead.

Geiger also showed a strong performance in the first round, lying in third and firmly in contention for the podium. ``That was really good. I'm super happy. It's not easy today at the take-off, but I managed to mask it quite well," beamed Geiger, who had finished 26th the previous day and was still falling short of expectations.

A test of patience, followed by cancellation

The second round developed into a test of patience. The athletes were repeatedly waved off the ramp as the wind made safe jumps impossible. Pawel Pasek (Poland) was ultimately the last to jump. Subsequently, the competition was first suspended and then canceled.

Philipp Raimund also struggled with the difficult conditions, dismissing the second round after achieving only 114.5 meters. However, since the competition faced similar challenges, he was able to slide into the finals, improving with a jump of 122 meters and scoring a few World Cup points from Finland. "I was aware it could be tight. It's just a classic Ruka competition," chuckled Raimund.

A setback for Eisenbichler

In stark contrast, Markus Eisenbichler experienced a competition he would rather forget. After finishing eighth in the first jump in Ruka and gaining plenty of confidence, nothing went right this time. With a jump of just 94.5 meters, he faced an early exit. “I was thrown and pulled to the front after the take-off,” said the six-time world champion. “It has happened to several of my competitors today as well. I have to accept this for now, but I won't let it throw me off balance.”

Stephan Leyhe fared almost no better. Although he made it through qualification, he received no ramp extension during the competition under poor conditions, landing at merely 91 meters and subsequently exiting the tournament. DSV talent Adrian Tittel also faced a minor setback after previously solid performances. With a jump of 107.5 meters, the 20-year-old also missed the finals.

Complete results

Overall standings

More Ski Jumping * ### World Cup in Lillehammer: Paschke jumps back onto the podium * ### Summary of Ski Jumping in Ruka * ### Three wins at the start: German ski jumping team dominates * ### Celebrating the win: Pius Paschke - age does not shield from winning