Disaster in Germany! And Just Before the World Championships

German ski jumpers have been experiencing a catastrophic downturn in form just before the world championships. After a promising start to the season with several good performances, the national team has been waiting for a podium finish in 14 individual events.

At the Sapporo World Cup, Pius Paschke managed only 23rd place, while his teammate Andreas Wellinger finished just one spot behind. Stephan Leyhe ended up in 29th place, a result that marks the worst performance for German jumpers since February 2011, when the top German in ski flying in Vikersund was 27th.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Japanese ski jumper Ryoyu Kobayashi, performing on an Olympic venue dating back to 1972, achieved a magnificent victory. Kobayashi, who had not been in top form recently, recorded an outstanding jump—winning by a margin of 19.7 points ahead of Austria’s Jan Hoerl and Slovenia’s Domen Prevc.

The article underscores the stark contrast between the fading fortunes of the German team and the resurgence of excellence from competitors like Kobayashi. With the world championships looming, questions arise about whether the German squad can turn their form around in time for the major event.