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Aspen (dpa) - Leon Vockensperger does not yet dare to predict a medal - the situation is simply too new for the German freestyle snowboarder.

The Rosenheimer goes on Friday (5.30 p.m. / Eurosportplayer) at the World Championships as the best in the qualification in the slopestyle final.

Does that make him suddenly the favorite for a podium?

"I don't know, you have to ask others," said the 21-year-old of the German press agency.

Two years after a serious ankle injury that almost killed his career, Vockensperger can write snowboarding history: as the first male freestyle artist from Germany on the podium at a major event.

In 1997 Sabine Wehr-Hasler finished third in the halfpipe in Italy, and a year later Nicola Thost jumped Olympic gold in Japan, also in the halfpipe.

In the Slopestyle discipline, where jumps, railings and other elements are used and where the difficulty and execution of the tricks counts, the Germans have been chasing the world's best for years.

Vockensperger can now change that, after he made people sit up and take notice with second place at the prestigious World Cup in Laax.

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"I have nothing to lose," he clarified.

«I want to show what I'm capable of.

What comes out of it will show. "

In the qualification he stunned with a splendid second run after he had failed the first.

«It felt so good.

Then I headed for the last jump and thought: Fuck it, I'll pull it off now and knock it out too! "

No sooner said than done: Vockensperger got the most qualification points in front of the assembled world elite around Olympic champion and US local hero Red Gerrard.

The battle for the medals will be tricky.

"The others have something else up their sleeves," he said, "but so do I!"

And Vockensperger is not the only German at the showdown in the famous winter sports resort of the Rocky Mountains.

Annika Morgan, who is only 19 years old, wants to attack women.

As seventh in the qualification, she is now “extremely” looking forward to the final in Aspen.

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210312-99-789300 / 2

Portrait of Vockensperger on the F sharp side

Portrait of Morgan on Fis side

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Portrait politely on F sharp side

German top 6 placements in freestyle world cups