The German ski jumpers are getting thin in terms of depth, which is why Sports Director Horst Hüttel is sounding the alarm.
Felix Hoffmann and Philipp Raimund in the world class – but behind them are large gaps and no successors: In view of the junior crisis among German ski jumpers, Sports Director Horst Hüttel is sounding the alarm. “That concerns us enormously, that definitely cannot satisfy us,” said Hüttel after the third jump of the Four Hills Tournament on Sunday in Innsbruck and announced consequences.
“That’s why a few things also need to be questioned internally,” said Hüttel: “What happened there? Why have we not managed in recent years to get younger people into a starting position like Felix is in at the moment. We need to analyze this intensively and urgently and ensure that we improve the situation as quickly as possible here in the coming years.”
Germany envious of Austria
Hoffmann, who at 28 years old has already entered the world class this season, is the best German in the overall Tour ranking, in fifth place. Raimund, at 25, the only younger jumper who has been able to establish himself in the A-team in recent years, is seventh.
Behind them, 35-year-old Pius Paschke is jumping solidly, while the currently barely competitive Andreas Wellinger (30) and Karl Geiger (32) were allowed to continue the Tour due to a lack of alternatives. After the retirement of various key players such as Markus Eisenbichler and Stephan Leyhe, the gaps could not be closed.
“Here in Austria, it’s particularly painful when you see who the Austrians can bring up and what they’ve developed in recent years,” said Hüttel: “That is enviable, and we were once in a much better situation. And it is very important to critically analyze, also internally, why we haven’t succeeded in this in the last two or three years.”