Karl Geiger wanted to return to the Four Hills Tournament after a break. But the fall of the former world champion continues for now. Even around 80 training jumps apparently had no effect. But Geiger remains combative.
It was just two years ago when Karl Geiger was still one of the top favorites to win the Four Hills Tournament. A second place in the Oberstdorf qualification on December 28, 2023 gave the German fans hope for a tour victory.
On December 28, 2025, Karl Geiger, the three-time Olympic medalist and ski flying world champion, is far from these hopes. Place 53 in the qualification for the first competition of the tour in his hometown Oberstdorf. This means: No second jumping for Geiger. The tour continues on Monday (December 29, 2025) without the former German leader.
Geiger: “I have to accept it upright”
“Unfortunately that’s a sentence with an X, that’s pretty bitter.”Geiger was annoyed at the sports show microphone after his botched jump to just 106.5 meters. For comparison: Qualification winner Domen Prevc from Slovenia flew to 139.5 meters. “You have to accept that now. The whole pill tastes rather sour.”
The end of Oberstdorf is another low point in Geiger’s winter. The Olympic season, of all things, threatens to be a season to forget for the 21-time World Cup winner. His third Olympic qualification currently seems unattainable.
Around 80 Training jumps – without touring effect
“I now have to pursue the path I have taken with utmost determination. Even if a day like this sets you back a lot.”the 31-year-old was nevertheless combative. The path Geiger took before the Four Hills Tournament included a three-week break. Around 80 training jumps away from the World Cup circus were intended to get the German back into shape.
There were no fruits yet in Oberstdorf: “The jump was extremely late. One thing leads to another. And if you’re not in that good shape, you’re missing too many meters.”said Geiger angrily after his 53rd place in the qualification.
Many jumpers have problems with Rule changes
Like some other former top athletes, Geiger doesn’t deal particularly well with rule changes before the season. Even Geiger’s teammates Andreas Wellinger and Pius Paschke, the Norwegians Marius Lindvik and Halvor Egner Granerud or all the Polish jumpers around the former Four Hills Tournament winner Kamil Stoch cannot cope with the new, even tighter suits.
But no one has had it as bad as Geiger this season. For example, Wellinger and Paschke qualified for the knockout duels in Oberstdorf as 39th or 21st.
Time for the Olympics is running out
At least: Geiger knows what he has to work on. “We figured out which direction it has to go in. What the squat has to be, what the push-off has to be so that the ski can build up so that the body becomes light again. I have to maintain that.”Geiger gave an insight into how he wants to get back to the top of the world. “My problems were that I had no pressure in the jump and that my flight system didn’t close. I have to fix that”added the Bavarian.
He needs to fix this quickly. Nevertheless, Geiger lacks the qualification standard for the Olympic Games. And there isn’t much time left until the Winter Games in February in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.