Ski Jumping: Crisis Mood Among DSV Eagles with Hopes for Home Jumping

Ski Jumping: Crisis Mood Among DSV Eagles with Hopes for Home Jumping

After the disappointing performance at the World Cup in Zakopane, the German ski jumpers are in a crisis mood. Since the Four Hills Tournament, the DSV eagles have completely lost their rhythm – and that comes just four weeks before the World Championships. However, there is also a sense of hope.

Pius Paschke experienced the negative peak of his personal crisis during the final individual jump in Zakopane. At the Wielka Krokiew, he could not even qualify for the second round. "In the end, every jump was quite far away," said Paschke, adding, "I’m not getting any height right now. Yesterday I tried it with brute force. Primarily, my position needs to be back on track."

But it’s not just Paschke who is struggling. The rest of the DSV eagles also faltered after the fairly disappointing Four Hills Tournament from a German perspective. The best German competitors were Karl Geiger (8th) and Andreas Wellinger (11th). Of the six Germans, only three qualified for the second round, while another did not even qualify.

Trainer Stefan Horngacher’s team is currently far from the performances seen at the start of the season. He emphasized that it does not help to be frustrated: "We must not make the knots tighter. We need to ensure we bring some calm and rhythm back into the team."

The knot seems quite tight at the moment, making it difficult to untangle. Nonetheless, Horngacher remains optimistic that Geiger and Wellinger will soon resolve their personal issues.

Wellinger stated that all jumps this weekend went "in the right direction," though his struggle is with the takeoff table. "I’m not taking the pressure under the ski with me, but rather my hips go against the jump," observed the SC Ruhpolding athlete, assessing his flight as "tense."

For him, it should be clear again: "The ski is my friend, not my enemy." Karl Geiger was satisfied as the best German performer. His upswing, which started during the Four Hills Tournament, continued in Zakopane, and now he is awaiting home jumping.

Upcoming, the ski flying event in Oberstdorf brings some hope. The Germans arrive with expectations. "Due to the faster take-off speed, you have more pressure under the ski, making it easier and lighter to jump," explained Sportschau expert Sven Hannawald. "I hope it will click for our boys there."

The concerned athletes share that hope but are more defensive about their stance. "It could unravel some knots, but it could also tighten them further. Everything is possible in ski flying," said Horngacher. Wellinger described it as "both a curse and a blessing," yet remarked that it was the right step for ski flying.

Karl Geiger appears notably more positive, expressing, "I’m really looking forward to ski flying!" If everything aligns, he believes he could have a great time in Oberstdorf.

Eisenbichler Remains on the Sidelines

Markus Eisenbichler will be absent again. He was already excluded from the World Cup squad before the Four Hills Tournament and recently had to compete in the Continental Cup after eleven World Cup jumps this winter. He also disappointed there, missing the top 20 in both rounds in Bischofshofen, and even finished 40th on Sunday.

Thus, he will not be able to assist the German team in their current crisis.

What’s Next

The next weekend, ski flying in Oberstdorf is on schedule, where the Germans are bringing some hopes.

• Result - Men's Ski Jumping in Zakopane