Overall World Cup winner is considered one of the big favorites for the 4-Hills-Tournament starting next Monday. And the German feels well prepared for the upcoming exhausting ten days.

"The changes in the summer preparation had a positive effect. I started the season on a good level this year and I feel fit for the first big highlight of the winter. Especially the opening event of the 4-Hills-Tournament in Oberstdorf with the thousands of fans is very emotional and gives me goose-bumps, even if I competed there many times already. I'm really looking forward to the first competition on my home hill", said the 27-year-old.

For the German team, the preparation for this 4-Hills-Tournament already started last summer. "During summer training we were jumping the Tournament in a competition mode and this was very interesting. Because besides the schedule of the Tour and the trips involved, we also only made a few jumps on every hill in order to adjust to the different hill profiles as quickly as possible. The experiences gained in this camp are yet another piece of the puzzle to be successful at the 4-Hills-Tournament", Severin Freund explains in a media release of the German Ski Association.

"Severin Freund can handle the role of a favorite"

Head coach Werner Schuster considers his top athletes ready for the highlight around New Year's. "Severin Freund had a good start this season and with his package, consisting of physical fitness, jumping technique and the equipment, he is absolutely competitive. At the World Championships in Falun Severin recently proved that he can handle the role of a favorite. Besides Severin Freund, also Richard Freitag and Andreas Wellinger are currently capable of achieving top results. Both showed here and there that they can be one of the best in the international field."

Freitag looking forward to Innsbruck

"After I was struggling a bit at the start of the winter in the past years, this season started a lot better for me. Even if I couldn't achieve a podium result yet, I'm jumping a more solid level right now. I definitely have the self-confidence that is necessary to start the 4-Hills-Tournament offensively and that's why I'm looking forward to this season's first highlight. All four hills have their own characteristics and it's a great challenge to adjust to the specific requirements of each hill. I enjoy jumping in Innsbruck the most. Not only because I won there, but also because the hill and the atmosphere at the Bergisel are unique", told Richard Freitag.

His teammate Andreas Wellinger is also looking forward to the upcoming tasks, but he remains cautious with predictions. "After my break due to the injury last winter, I'm even more motivated now to compete in the 4-Hills-Tournament. No matter how the competitions went so far this season, the cards are always re-shuffled. It's always about showing consistent performances. It is as it's always said: You can't win the 4-Hills-Tournament with one good jump, but you can lose it with one bad one."

Source:fis-ski.com