DSV Team Third Place – Controversy Over Disqualification

At the home World Cup in Willingen, the German mixed team in ski jumping secured third place on the giant Mühlenkopfschanze, but not without controversy. The Norwegians and Austrians led by a considerable margin – with the gap to the dominant Norwegians at 82.0 points and Austria also finishing well ahead – leaving the German team with much to improve.

The quartet, composed of Katharina Schmid, Philipp Raimund, Selina Freitag, and Andreas Wellinger, encountered difficulties from the outset. In the first round, competitors such as Slovenia’s Ema Klinec and Norway’s Thea Minyan Bjoerseth soared past 140 meters on the world’s largest hill, while Schmid managed a jump of only 130 meters and struggled with her telemark. Philipp Raimund, unexpectedly included in the lineup, delivered a jump of 128.5 meters, failing to make up for the early deficit.

Selina Freitag, however, helped pull the team back with a secure 131-meter jump, temporarily moving Germany into second place behind Japan and Austria. Despite the support of a full house in the Rothaar Mountains, none of the German athletes could post a defining second-round performance, and the third place was cemented.

Adding to the drama, the strong Slovenian contingent was hit by controversy when Timi Zajc was disqualified after his first jump due to suit irregularities – a decision that erased his chances for a podium finish. In the second round, Zajc responded with a dramatic gesture, raising his hands in protest as he donned his now rule-compliant suit. ARD ski jumping expert Sven Hannawald described the gesture as “ridiculous,” warning that overly dramatic reactions only exacerbate the situation. Similarly, disqualified slowenian Anze Lanzisek expressed his discontent with a finger-to-mouth gesture, reinforcing Hannawald’s view that the reoccurring disqualifications were a foregone conclusion when rules are pushed too far.