The Austrian Sandra Flunger will be the new head coach of the German biathletes. The 44-year-old succeeds Kristian Mehringer, as the German Ski Association (DSV) announced. Flunger is the first female head coach in German biathlon after 36 years. By 1990, Renate Schinze had ensured Petra Behle’s first major international successes as national coach.
Denny Andritzke (37) is at Flunger’s side as the new assistant coach. “Sandra Flunger knows exactly the requirements of the World Cup and has the necessary expertise to further develop our women’s team. We are also proud to have a female head coach in the ranks of the German Ski Association again after a long time.”said the new sports director Markus Eisenbichler. Andritzke complements the coaching team perfectly. “We are convinced that this team will provide important impetus”said Eisenbichler.
With Lisa Hauser to the top of the world
Flunger, a former biathlete herself, initially looked after the Austrian women as head coach and brought Lisa Hauser to the top in the world. From 2018 to 2024 she was the head coach of the Swiss women, before serving as the overall head coach of the Swiss national biathlon team for the past two years and celebrating some successes.
“My goal is to develop the existing potential in the best possible way, to provide new impulses and to remain competitive in international comparison”said Flunger. She has been the only female head coach in international biathlon for years.
Upheaval after a disappointing season
Andritzke has been the lead discipline trainer for course group 2b for the past six years and was most recently responsible for the women’s team at the Oberhof base around Vanessa Voigt.
After the disappointing Olympic season, in which the German team did not achieve a single win of the season and only won bronze in the mixed relay at the highlight in Antholz, there was a major upheaval. After eight years as a women’s coach, Mehringer is taking on a different role in the DSV.
The Norwegian Sverre Olsbu Röiseland returned to his homeland after four years and will be the new head coach of the Norwegian women. In addition to the sporting resignation of former world champion Franziska Preuß, sports director Felix Bitterling also left the German Ski Association (DSV) and moved to the world association IBU.
