Please fasten your seatbelts: Simon Ammann and Co. will be flying through the air again in Engelberg in December. Under floodlights!
Good visibility is essential for ski jumpers. No wonder! After all, anyone who plunges into the abyss at90 km/h needs to see where they will land. It goes without saying that this is not possible in diffuse light. Especially not in the dark.
This has no longer been a problem in Engelberg since 2016. Last winter, the world's best athletes were able to fly through the air under floodlights for the first time on the newly converted Titlis ski jump. The feedback was consistently positive - the newly installed light poles are a blessing for ski jumpers, who can perform at their best thanks to this help.
This will be no different in 2017, when the World Cup will be held in Obwalden from December 15 to 17. Ultimately, however, it's not just the scenery that will inspire, but above all the competitions. In addition to the qualification on Friday, there are two jumping competitions on Saturday and Sunday.
Who will win? Swiss hopes are pinned on Simon Ammann. Although the 36-year-old from Toggenburg has struggled for form in recent years, you can never write off a double Olympic champion. Ammann has already stood on the podium in Engelberg four times, albeit never at the top.
But the competition is enormous. As always, the Engelberg competitions are regarded as the main rehearsal for the Four Hills Tournament, which begins shortly afterwards, and this has been impressively demonstrated in the last two years. In 2015/16, Peter Prevc (Slovenia) claimed two "Swiss" victories before triumphing in the tour. And: last winter, Kamil Stoch (Poland) finished in second place in Engelberg, only to win the overall tour ranking shortly afterwards. What will happen this time?
FIS SKI JUMPING WORLD CUP
Sat 16 to Sun 17 December 17, Titlis Ski Jump Engelberg
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