Sapporo: Kobayashi dominates

At last weekend's World Cup event in Sapporo, Japan, local hero Ryōyū Kobayashi shone with two commanding victories, while the German ski jumpers continued to fall short of expectations.

Saturday - Individual Competition

The ongoing crisis within the German ski jumping team became evident once again on Saturday. In the first individual event on the Okurayama Hill, Pius Paschke was the best German, finishing 23rd. Andreas Wellinger placed 24th, and Stephan Leyhe came in 29th. Adrian Tittel and Felix Hoffmann failed to qualify for the final round. The last time the German team recorded such a weak result in a World Cup was back in February 2011.

The day's winner was Ryōyū Kobayashi, who claimed his first victory of the season with jumps of 137 and 136.5 meters, ahead of Jan Hörl (Austria) and Domen Prevc (Slovenia). While the Austrian team impressed with strong performances, the mood in the German camp was one of frustration.

See the official results here

Sunday - Individual Competition

On Sunday, Andreas Wellinger managed to make a statement with a ninth-place finish. After placing fourth in the first round, the 28-year-old landed at 121.5 meters in the final, slipping down the rankings. Stephan Leyhe (24th) and Felix Hoffmann (26th) at least scored some World Cup points, while Pius Paschke again failed to make it past the first round.

Kobayashi once again took the win, delivering a 137-meter jump in the final round to overtake Norwegian Marius Lindvik, who had been leading after the first jump. Lindvik's compatriot, Johann Andre Forfang, finished third. The usually dominant Austrians had to settle for positions four through seven but have already secured the overall World Cup title.

See the official results here

Focus on the World Championships in Trondheim

After exhausting travels from Europe to the USA and then Japan, the German ski jumpers are now returning home to prepare for the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, which begin on February 27. The goal is to leave the recent setbacks behind and find new momentum. "At a World Championship, only the competition jumps matter, not past results," said coach Stefan Horngacher optimistically.

Whether the German team can reclaim a spot among the world’s best remains to be seen. One thing is clear: after the events in Sapporo, the path to success requires hard work and determination.