“The sober reality”
Next setback for struggling German duo
Updated on January 3, 2026 – 9:12 amReading time: 1 min.
Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger jump behind at the Four Hills Tournament. The two want to train on the rest day – but the wind doesn’t allow that.
The German ski jumpers Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger continue to struggle with a form crisis at the Four Hills Tournament and were unable to train as planned on the rest day. Strong winds on the Great Olympic Ski Jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen prevented the duo from performing their technical sessions, and instead they were only able to complete strength training.
National coach Stefan Horngacher emphasized the need for intensive practice sessions: “We have to make sure that we do as much technical training as possible and that we do as many repetitions as possible.” The duo didn’t get past 32nd and 33rd place on New Year’s Day. That was an improvement, because at the start of the tour in Oberstdorf they were completely behind with ranks 48 and 53.
“It’s difficult to really improve in competition. They performed very well. It was a clear step in the right direction for both of them, so we will continue like this with the team,” said Horngacher about the improved performance at the start of 2026.
Wellinger and Geiger are also traveling to Innsbruck because there are currently no better sporting alternatives in the German team. Only Philipp Raimund and Felix Hoffmann reached the final of the top 30 in Oberstdorf. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen they were joined by veteran Pius Paschke.
“We currently have too many who are eliminated before the second round. That’s the sober reality,” said Wellinger, who returned to the German team for the tour before Christmas after a short break from the World Cup.