Without Stephan Leyhe, the German ski jumpers will start the World Cup season this weekend.
The Olympic bronze medalist from Beijing with the team lost the internal elimination round for sixth starting place for the World Cup in Wisla, Poland, against Pius Paschke.
“Both acted at a high level and on an equal footing,” said national coach Stefan Horngacher, Leyhe will be given a new chance for the competitions in Kuusamo (November 26/27).
The German team is led by Markus Eisenbichler and Karl Geiger as well as the new German champion Andreas Wellinger. In addition, Constantin Schmid and Philipp Raimund, who is taking part in a World Cup outside of the national group for the first time, will also start. “It means a lot to me, as it also validates my work over the last few years,” said the 22-year-old.
Ski jumping: Eisenbichler and Wellinger in top form
While Eisenbichler and Wellinger say they are in top form, the Olympic bronze medalist is going into the qualification on Friday (6:15 p.m.) and the competitions on Saturday and Sunday (4:00 p.m.) with lowered expectations. “I’m not very happy yet, because the jumps for the very, very front aren’t coming,” said Geiger.
The women’s season also begins this weekend in Wisla with two individual competitions. The German team is led by Katharina Althaus, who came second at the Olympics.
The German men’s squad: Markus Eisenbichler (Siegsdorf), Karl Geiger (Oberstdorf), Philipp Raimund (Oberstdorf), Pius Paschke (Kiefersfelden), Constantin Schmid (Oberaudorf), Andreas Wellinger (Ruhpolding)
The German women’s squad: Katharina Althaus (Oberstdorf), Selina Freitag (Aue), Luisa Görlich (Lauscha), Pauline Hessler (Lauscha), Agnes Reisch (Isny), Anna Rupprecht (Degenfeld)