Jarl Magnus Riiber clears everything in Planica, on Saturday he can replace Eric Frenzel as record world champion. But the Norwegian is not undisputed. His duel with Julian Schmid in the final meters of the World Championship relay is an example of the fine line between cleverness and unfairness.
Eric Frenzel will probably no longer be a big fan of Jarl Magnus Riiber. On the one hand because the Norwegian is currently chasing one record after the next – on Saturday Riiber could replace the Saxon as record world champion in Nordic combined with gold on the large hill. But then there is the Scandinavian’s rip-off, which others also call unsportsmanlike.
Riiber’s duel with Julian Schmid in the final meters of the World Cup relay is an example of the thin line between cleverness and unfairness that Riiber walks. “He pulls in the full pot, regardless of losses. Personally, I don’t think that’s sporty,” said Frenzel, adding: “For me, that will always have a bad aftertaste with him.” The now seven-time world champion got on his skis a few hundred meters from the finish line and prevented Schmid from overtaking him on the inside.
Hermann Weinbuch also describes Riiber’s tactics of frequently slowing down and, if in doubt, even letting the pursuers approach, as “unsportsmanlike in my opinion”. But the national coach also knows: “Maybe that’s part of the business.” The success proves Riiber right, in Planica he can win the fourth gold in the fourth race on Saturday and the eighth of his career.
What Frenzel and Weinbuch have in common is their respect for Riiber’s sporting achievements. The top star, who, like Frenzel, was still slowed down by Corona at the Olympics, already holds a record with 53 World Cup victories that can hardly be broken, even though he is only 25 years old.
So Frenzel won’t keep the title of record world champion for too long, even if his rival should slip up on Saturday (jumping 10:30 a.m., cross-country skiing 3 p.m./ARD and Eurosport). After all: Frenzel’s five triumphs in a row in the overall World Cup will not catch up with Riiber, who has been ill for a long time – it is already clear that someone else will win the crystal ball this winter.
