Exclusive: ‘Just one chance!’ – Martin Schmitt explains Nordic World Ski Championships pressure, tips close contest

Former German ski jumper Martin Schmitt believes that both the men’s and women’s competitions at the Nordic World Ski Championships will be extremely tight.

Schmitt, himself a four-time gold medal winner at the world championships, now works as an expert for Eurosport and was speaking to preview the upcoming event.

He admits that Four Hills champion Halvor Egner Granerud is the favourite to continue his fine form but the competition on both sides is wide open.

“The big favourite for sure is Halvor [Egner Granerud]. He has such a stable jumping technique. You can see he can put all his energy in the take off. He is jumping with full confidence. For me, if he stays healthy, he is the big favourite.

“On a normal hill, you need a powerful take off. I think this will favour Dawid Kubacki or Piotr Zyla. It’s going to be an exciting competition.

“Normally the competitions are pretty close. Often it’s decided by the style marks. I think it will be the same in Planica. Especially when you look at the trajectory of the jumping hill in Planica. I think we can expect a really close competition.

“We will see who has the best shape at this one special day. The favourite for me is Halvor, Dawid, Piotr or even Anze Lanisek. Anze will probably get good style points and he knows the hill.”

He tipped another Norwegian as a possible dark horse who spring a surprise.

“I think the best and perhaps unexpected story would be if Daniel-André Tande won a medal in Planica. I think everyone would be happy for him.”

As for the women’s competition Schmitt thinks like Granerud, Eva Pinkelnig of Austria is the favourite but there are so many competitors who could triumph, including his compatriot Katharina Althaus.

“Although she wasn’t at her best at Willingen – but Willingen is completely different as a hill compared to the K90 at Planica – I think Eva [Pinkelnig] is still the favourite as the overall World Cup leader.

“Katharina Althaus from Germany is getting better and better throughout the season. She has a lot of self-confidence.

“On a small hill, I think Selina Freitag from Germany. She has a powerful take off that you need on a K90. It’s going to be exciting.

“The Norwegians have a strong team. I think Eva is the favourite. She has to resist the attacks of Team Germany.”

Schmitt was asked what the difference is between a regular World Cup event and the world championships.

He replied that because it was a unique event in the calendar, and one that was only held once every two years, athletes planned their entire season around it, meaning that there was often an elevated level of competition during the championships.

“At the World Championship everyone tries to be at their very best. So it’s the main event of the year and the whole training process is directed to the World Championships. You always have the goal to be at this event in your best shape, physically on the best level, mentally on the best level and also technically.

“So you can expect several athletes can manage to be in this amazing shape at the World Championships.

“So the level of performance is likely to be the highest in the whole season.

“You have to perform in an amazing way at the World Championship. You have just this one chance and not the next weekend. So if you fail, you have to wait two more years.”

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