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. Ad 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.

Ski JumpingGermany clinch normal hill team gold in Rasnov17 HOURS AGO “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,