An eventful season comes to an end for the German ski jumper. Winter started almost like in a dream, but around the turn of the year there was suddenly nothing more to feel about the ups’ up of the first few weeks. The German eagles were only back at the highlight of the season. The situation was similar for the German women, there were also many on them, but also some ABS.
In Planica, the last ski jumping weekend could be cheered again. In the emotional farewell to Markus Eisenbichler, who, like Stephan Leyhe, ended his career, the ski jumper of the German Ski Association (DSV) celebrated a conciliatory conclusion after a not always easy season with second place in team flying and third place by Andreas Wellinger. From one “Change pool of feelings” Then spoke DSV sports director Horst Hüttel. Because the beginning of winter had aroused desires, but they received a bitter dampers with the four -hill tour. But in turn …
The season started with a bang. In Lillehammer, Pius Paschke sailed into the yellow jersey in the first jump of the season. Many of the experts and presumably also the German ski jumping oldie himself thought that was a snapshot. But it became a month full of joy and cheers. Paschke was at the top of the podium in five of the first eight competitions, plus the victory in the super team with Andreas Wellinger. The 34-year-old from Munich was able to do what he wanted in this phase, he just couldn’t be beaten. The jumping home in Titisee-Neustadt became Paschke Festival.
With the tour comes the break -in
The late profession was remarkably relaxed during this time and did not want to show any pressure. But shortly before the four -hill tour, stumbling began. Paschke missed the top 10 for the first time during the dress rehearsal in Engelberg, but the German team went “positive” voted on the tour. But the prestigious competition series became a setback from a German perspective. Instead of being able to jump into the overall victory, the DSV team had to stand the Austrian trellis for the Austrian. Paschke and Co. were never really in striking distance for the overall leader, in the end there were no 60 points after four jumps on winner Daniel Tschofenig.
It looked like a break in the season of the team of national coach Stefan Horngacher. Except for a few single top 10 places, the German men usually only jumped afterwards, also at the home world cups in Oberstdorf and Willingen. “At the moment it is a bit tough, we actually lost today. Our goal was to shorten the distance a bit. We absolutely not succeeded”was the sobering analysis of Horngacher in early February.
New thermal at the World Cup
After 15 jumping without a podium, expectations for the World Championships in Trondheim were correspondingly low. But the German team was improved again in Norway – even if not everything went smoothly in the title fights. The silver medal from Wellinger on the small ski jump could even get a gold paint in view of the manipulated suits of the hosts. The 29-year-old then grabbed a title in Norway. A week after the World Cup, he was able to triumph at the RAW Air – the Norwegian counterpart to four hill tour.
But what is the overall conclusion of German men? Pius Paschke closes the season in the first overall victory of Tschofenig in fifth place. It is the best result in the long -term career of Bavaria. In the Nations Cup, too, the DSV only has to let the esis advance, but here benefited from the suspension of the Norwegian top jumpers, who could not get any further points for their nation.
And what does the head coach say? Horngacher is glad that a little calm will now. “It’s okay that it is over now. It was a long season that cost a lot of strength.” With the positive impressions of the last jumping, you can prepare a little more calmly for the coming season, but it was important to precisely analyze the weak phase. “That takes a little time!” With the season you can “Despite everything, be satisfied”. But sports director Hüttel also explained that his team would “Take a lot of homework home”. It is now about establishing young athletes in the World Cup so as not to endanger the future of German ski jumping.
First Schmid flies away, then Friday chased the victory after Friday
The German ski jumpers also had to struggle with one or the other setback this winter. At the beginning of the season, Katharina Schmid was the formative figure on the ski jumps. Of the first five competitions, she won three and became two second. She wore the yellow jersey until mid -January. But then she was suddenly not so easy to handle – similar to Paschke. In the last 15 competitions, she only managed two more top 5 places, the hopes for the first German overall World Cup victory were gone. Also because the Slovenin Nika Prevc delivered a season for the history books at the top. Only Sara Takanashi had succeeded in 15 season winning, with the record number of 1,933 points, the 20-year-old won her second overall World Cup victory in a row. She also set up a new world record in women’s ski flying.
It didn’t help that Selina Friday repeatedly demonstrated her world class in the second half of the season. But it should always fail because of the almost impossible PrevC. In the last nine World Cup jumping of winter, the Saxon was just not on the podium, but she still has to wait for her first individual victory in the World Cup. Because Prevc won the last ten jumps in a row and in the meantime also secured the World Cup titles from the normal and from the large hill. Also in second place: Selina Friday.
Friday: “The best in our league”
Despite the missed possibilities, the conclusion of German women is almost consistently positive. “The Nika just jumps in another league. That’s why I talk myself a bit beautiful and say: I’m the best in our league”said Friday after the end of the season with a smile. Even if the very big triumph is missing, she enjoys the second places: “Not that many do that”. Your consistency has improved significantly and led to the strong results. In addition, she had finally broken the magical 200 meter brand while ski flying.
“All in all, I can be very satisfied”Schmid also found – despite the weaker second half of the season. Although she admitted openly, that “In other words” To have after the strong start to the winter. This has to be processed and enjoying the summer. In retrospect, national coach Heinz Kuttin also showed “Very happy” With the services shown: “We didn’t expect that. I have given a high goal with the winning of the nation cup and we succeeded confidently. For this purpose, second and third place in the individual World Cup.” Now it is about attacking PrevC in the coming winter. You will work meticulously for this.
Görlich with bitter winter
Unfortunately, there was also a bitter note from the women from a black and red and gold perspective. Luisa Görlich was the unlucky bird of this winter. After completing the pre-season with a cruciate ligament rupture, she only returned in February and won a World Cup ticket through good performance in a few competitions. There, however, she fell in the qualification for the normal hill competition and is now out again with a cruciate ligament tear and meniscus damage for many months.