The ski jumping circus celebrates the four hill tournament – but for German beginners, the highlight of the year is practically over after halfway through it.
The DSV selection went to the third competition in Innsbruck with a lot of resignation in its luggage. After Pius Paschke (34) started the tour hopefully as World Cup leader, the chances of victory and even a podium are practically irrelevant.
Sven Hannawald expresses his understanding for Philipp Raimund
There was not much reaction of distrust at the Bergisel springboard before the competition on Saturday January 4, 2025. Attacking at the top again with all your strength? Apparently there are currently no realistic goals in the German team.
An ARD interview with jumper Philipp Raimund (24) shortly before the start of the first round was typical. When asked who would end up on the podium in the first of the two Austrian competitions, the German only named an Ösi and a Swiss.
“Jan is simply unbeatable on the hill,” he dismissed hopes of a German victory in advance and declared Jan Hörl (26) the sure winner. Behind him, he only named the Swiss Gregor Deschwanden (33) as a candidate for the podium.
Faced with so much reluctance, journalist Inken Pallas had to ask the question again and say what Raimund apparently did not want to aggressively impute to any of his colleagues: “Then there would still be room for a German.” We keep our fingers crossed.
ARD presenter Lea Wagner (30) was surprised by the interview clip and summed up: “He didn’t even think that a German had qualities for the podium. That says it all. The self-image of the German Eagles is not characterized by self-confidence.”
Expert Sven Hannawald (50), the last German winner of the prestigious competition to date, was understanding of the reluctance of the German camp and contradicted: “If he were to get directly into the game, I would would be afraid again. I completely agree with what he said.
The fact that Raimund did not want to mention either Paschke, so dominant a few weeks ago (six victories in the first eleven competitions), nor Andreas Wellinger (29 years old), richly decorated with two Olympic victories, was ultimately revealing of the radical change of atmosphere in German ski jumping.
This is why from the first round, commentator Tom Bartels (59) was also surprised by the situation in the country of ski jumping: “They all wonder why so many percent, certainly 10 to 15, have suddenly disappeared.
Wellinger’s strong first jump of 127 meters in Innsbruck on Saturday (14th place at halftime) was, for example, “sufficient for the current demands,” said Bartels. However, the result is “not satisfactory considering the expectations you had before the tour.”
