This new ski jumping face makes the weakening German team happy. When it came to Philipp Raimund, the faces of national coach Stefan Horngacher and top athlete Karl Geiger suddenly relaxed.
“Hille is really a funny and bright guy, I would also say extroverted guy. He approaches people. He’s extremely inexperienced. I think he just doesn’t give a shit,” reported Geiger at halftime in the current 71. Four Hills Tournament. At 22, Raimund is currently the youngster in Coach Horngacher’s team.
But it is not the results (14th in Oberstdorf, 15th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) that made Raimund famous. The Oberstdorfer by choice also attracted attention with his bold manner and his refreshing interviews.
“Sometimes the trainers have to slow him down. When he’s in his euphoria, he would only give autographs and interviews – and miss the next jump,” said Geiger with a touch of exaggeration. In the past five or six years, Germany’s ski jumping team has always consisted of the same faces, and now a new one is joining them.
“It’s just a process”
Horngacher sees all sporting basics in the protégé. “It’s just a process over the next few years to make better use of this potential. Then he’ll take the step to be at the top,” said the 53-year-old.
Where he still has room for improvement in terms of sport, he has already reached the top in another category: as a conversation partner. “Sometimes you have to wonder if he doesn’t have a hairdresser – because he tells everything,” said Horngacher on the press podium. Geiger and Andreas Wellinger sat next to the coach and immediately had to grin.