Before the start of the Four Hills Tournament
Setback: Former world champion removed from DSV squad
Updated 12/26/2024 – 4:09 p.mReading time: 1 min.
Before the start in Oberstdorf, the German Ski Association has to limit its squad to six ski jumpers. A former world champion is the victim – a series continues.
The 73rd Four Hills Ski Jumping Tournament begins without former world champion Markus Eisenbichler. The 33-year-old Bavarian is not part of the six-man German squad for the opening competition on Sunday (4.30 p.m./ZDF and Eurosport) in Oberstdorf, as the German Ski Association (DSV) announced.
The World Cup leader Pius Paschke, Olympic champion Andreas Wellinger, Karl Geiger and Adrian Tittel, who had jumped an additional place, were seeded.
Stephan Leyhe and Philipp Raimund were given preference over Eisenbichler, who took second place overall in the 2018/19 tour and now has to watch the opener in the Allgäu. Last winter he wasn’t part of the World Cup team at all due to continued poor form.
“Unfortunately, we had to reduce our starting field in the World Cup from seven to six jumpers. Markus Eisenbichler, who was defeated by Philipp Raimund in the internal elimination at the World Cup in Engelberg, is taking part in the competition again in Garmisch-Partenkirchen,” said national coach Stefan Horngacher. Then Eisenbichler should be part of the national group.
He has fond memories of the tour. Six years ago he took second place in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen behind the then winner Ryōyū Kobayashi from Japan. Despite weaker results in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, that was enough for second place overall.