Hüttel to Put Ski Jumping Planning 'to the Test'

Horst Hüttel, the DSV Sports Director, has announced that certain aspects of the planning for ski jumping need to be thoroughly re-evaluated, especially in light of the recent decline in form among the German jumpers. Speaking shortly before the World Championships in Trondheim, Hüttel pointed out that there are aspects of the season planning that must be put "to the test".

After a strong start in the early part of the season, the German team experienced a noticeable drop in performance during the second half of the 2023/24 season. Hüttel remarked that after the last World Cup in Planica, he will work on addressing these issues, suggesting that the problem might lie on an individual level, even though the whole team has been affected.

He further noted that during the first eight rounds of the current season, at least one German athlete stood on the podium – with Pius Paschke and Andreas Wellinger even securing wins. However, in the following 15 competitions, there have been no further podium finishes. Despite these setbacks, Hüttel remains hopeful for the upcoming World Championships, emphasizing the need for the team to display resilience and determination. He recalled previous instances under head coach Stefan Horngacher when the team managed to turn around their form during the early rounds of major events, and he remains optimistic that they can do so again, especially with the decisive men's normal hill event scheduled for Sunday and the women competing for gold on Friday.