Philipp Raimund and Felix Hoffmann lead the German Four Hills Tournament squad. Additionally, Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger return to the World Cup.
Led by hopefuls Philipp Raimund and Felix Hoffmann, the German ski jumpers are heading into the 74th Four Hills Tournament, starting on Sunday (until January 6). For the first highlight of the winter, national coach Stefan Horngacher is also counting on Karl Geiger and Andreas Wellinger, who have been disappointing so far this season. The two former Four Hills Tournament runners-up, along with Pius Paschke, are part of the German Ski Association’s (DSV) squad after their World Cup breaks.
In addition to the five World Cup starters, four athletes from the national group will also participate in the first two competitions in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Luca Roth and Ben Bayer, who were already part of the squad at the Four Hills Tournament dress rehearsal in Engelberg, as well as World Cup debutant Max Unbelief and Constantin Schmid.
The last German Four Hills Tournament victory by Sven Hannawald (2001/02) was 24 years ago. So far this winter, only Raimund (25) and Hoffmann (28) have been able to nurture hopes for another triumph.
Raimund from Oberstdorf has landed so far on the podium four times and only twice outside the top ten, while Hoffmann recently celebrated a second and a third place in Engelberg. The two belonged “to the circle of co-favorites,” said Horngacher.
Four Hills Tournament: Wellinger and Geiger return
For Wellinger, Geiger, and Paschke, however, the focus is on bringing them “back to top level” after disappointing results, according to the Austrian.
Wellinger and Geiger had recently withdrawn from the World Cup after very poor performances and wanted to gain technical confidence in training with a view to the Four Hills Tournament. As guest starters at the Italian Championships in Predazzo, both recently succeeded with consistently solid competition jumps.
The qualification will take place in Oberstdorf on Sunday, followed by the first competition on Monday.