Ski Flying: Slovenia Celebrates - DSV Eagles Disappoint Again

Ski Flying: Slovenia Celebrates - DSV Eagles Disappoint Again

The performance slump of the German ski jumpers continues. At the second ski flying event in Oberstdorf, Karl Geiger and his team were far from the podium once again. The victory went once more to Slovenia.

Domen Prevc had already underscored his ambitions with a third place finish on Saturday. On Sunday (January 26, 2025), the two-time team ski flying world champion secured victory on the Heini-Klopfer hill.

Although he did not break his hill record from 2022 (242.5 meters), Prevc soared to 226.5 and 231.5 meters (436.8 points), outperforming Norway's Johann Andre Forfang (433.2) and Austria's Michael Hayböck (429.1), making it a perfect weekend for Slovenia, where compatriot Timi Zajc had won the day prior.

The German team faced difficult conditions with changing winds. Geiger ultimately finished as the top German in 11th place but was not in contention for the podium, missing out by around twelve meters. Andreas Wellinger and Pius Paschke fell short again, finishing 19th and 21st respectively, while Philipp Raimund came in at 27th.

German national coach Stefan Horngacher pointed out, "We cannot be satisfied with the results. This is not enough." After a strong season start with six victories and nine podium finishes in the first eight individual competitions, his athletes now found themselves far from the world elite. Horngacher noted that while Geiger is "biting his way back," much work remains.

Geiger was expected to improve after unsatisfactory results on Saturday. He had achieved the best result on the previous day. This time he also maintained hope for a breakthrough before the second jump, managing a clean jump that carried him to 222 meters. However, he had already lost ground on the podium.

Wellinger and Paschke aimed to rebound but faced significant setbacks. Wellinger struggled with his jump, landing only 204.5 meters, which placed him 18th at halftime. He improved slightly in the final jump but still found himself lacking the confidence to perform optimally.

Paschke experienced additional frustration. After an uninspiring 18th place finish the day before, adverse wind conditions thwarted his performance, and though he managed 209.5 meters in final flight, he still lacked the ease of past competitions. Previous podium finishes seem distant now.

Despite good external conditions, Philipp Raimund was only able to come away with 203.5 meters in the first round. His spot in the finals was secured due to a disqualification of a Slovenian jumper for a suit violation, and he was able to rise three places with a flight of 211.5 meters in the final round.

For a comprehensive overview, refer to the overall world cup standings.