Despite a disappointing World Cup winter so far, national ski jumping coach Stefan Horngacher has not lost faith in his DSV Adler – and has set a very ambitious medal goal for the Olympic Games.
The German ski jumpers played no role in the season’s highlights so far. At the Four Hills Tournament, Felix Hoffmann finished sixth as the best German, but was unable to have a say in the fight for the Golden Eagle.
And at the Ski Flying Home World Championships in Oberstdorf at the end of January, the DSV Eagles also had nothing to contend with when it came to the medal awarding: in the team they only finished fourth, in the individual Raimund was once again the best in the class in a distant 13th place.
Despite the weak results, national coach Stefan Horngacher is expecting a lot from the Olympic competitions on the ski jumps in Val di Fiemme.
“If we win two medals at the end of the day, given the situation before, then I would actually be very satisfied,” said the Austrian, who believes his protégés are in shape: “I would trust anyone to do it. That’s very clear.”
This also applies to “problem child” Andreas Wellinger, who lagged behind for a long time this season, but initiated a possible turnaround with eighth place at the home World Cup in Willingen.
Ski jumping: Stefan Horngacher feels sorry for Karl Geiger
The two-time Olympic champion has already proven in the past what he “can do at certain times,” said Horngacher. This means: “Mobilize a little more in special competitions.”
Wellinger “went through a valley, but from now on things are looking up,” said the 56-year-old. However, he doesn’t know whether the 30-year-old has “already reached the summit of the Olympics” in Predazzo.
I’m really sorry that Karl Geiger, who like Wellinger showed a different face in Willingen and even jumped onto the podium, “missed the Olympic train,” said Horngacher.
Geiger had not achieved the Olympic standard before Willingen. The result in Sauerland was “just a bit too late,” said the Tyrolean.
Geiger’s only role is as a substitute. The German team includes Philipp Raimund, Felix Hoffmann, Pius Paschke and Andreas Wellinger.
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