The Norwegian Forfang sets a new hill record, the German Wellinger wins in difficult conditions in front of his home crowd.

After the Ski Flying World Championships the previous weekend, the World Cup took place again from February 2nd to 4th: Two individual competitions were held on the Mühlenkopfschanze. 

Last year's winner Halvor Egner Graneurd did not compete. The Norwegian and winner of the 71st Four Hills Tournament is currently taking a break from the World Cup. Robert Johansson replaced him in the Norwegian team, making his first World Cup appearances of the 2023/24 season.

The weekend in Willingen began on Friday with the qualification. Here, Japan's Ryōyū Kobayashi and Norway's Johann André Forfang shared the qualification victory and the prize money of 3,000 Swiss francs. Forfang equaled the hill record with his jump on 153.0 meters.

Saturday - Individual competition

Forfang then confirmed his strong form from the previous day in the competition on Saturday. In the second round, he set a new hill record with a distance of 155.5 meters. Five years after his last World Cup victory, the Norwegian is back on top of the podium by a clear margin (252.7 points).

Second place went to Ryōyū Kobayashi (221.7 points), who was still in 15th place after the first round. The podium was completed by Forfang's compatriot Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal (219.9 points). 

There were already a few surprises in the first run. For example, the current World Cup leader Stefan Kraft was unable to qualify for the second run, as was the German Karl Geiger, who has already won two World Cups this season.

To the official final result

Sunday - Individual competition

An individual competition was also on the program for the jumpers on Sunday. In rainy and windy conditions, Aleksander Zniszczoł from Poland was in the lead after the first round. However, he was unable to defend his lead in the second round and dropped back to eighth place in the end.

Germany's Andreas Wellinger, on the other hand, was able to make up places. Still in seventh place after the first round, he managed a strong jump in the second round, which was enough to win the World Cup (237.6 points).

Ryōyū Kobayashi (235.6 points) came second, like the day before. Switzerland's Gregor Deschwanden came third (231.8 points) and made it onto the World Cup podium for the second time in his career.

To the official final result

The World Cup continues next weekend in Lake Placid (USA). Two individual competitions and one super team competition will take place there.