Debacle in the Continental Cup
Former world champion Eisenbichler continues his career nosedive
January 6, 2024, 3:09 p.m
Markus Eisenbichler is in a serious sporting crisis. The former world champion has no chance at all in the Continental Cup either. The 32-year-old recently received devastating criticism. A return to the World Cup is currently ruled out.
Former ski jumping world champion Markus Eisenbichler’s dip in form is becoming increasingly severe. The 32-year-old Bavarian only finished 47th in the second-class Continental Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After a jump of 113 meters, Eisenbichler was clearly eliminated after the first round.
The 2019 individual world champion is in what is probably the biggest sporting crisis of his career. In November, national coach Stefan Horngacher waived him for the A squad. Since then, Eisenbichler’s performance has fallen even further. Recently there was criticism from coach Horngacher and ex-world-class jumper Sven Hannawald.
Horngacher had expressed a lack of understanding about the development of the former top star and runner-up on the tour. “It’s incomprehensible to me that he can’t bring anything together,” said the national coach, who was able to count on Eisenbichler as a top performer for years. “He often covers up a lot of things. We have to talk about where the journey is going. Performance counts, that’s just how it is. It doesn’t matter how many medals you have hanging at home.”
Vain search for form in Planica
Horngacher did not offer the veteran any prospect of returning, and public words of encouragement and appreciation were also sought in vain. “Once he’s in his spiral, it’s incredibly difficult to get him out of there. Jumpers like him then try to use force, and then it gets even worse,” Hannawald described on ARD and even talked about a possible hard cut. “For Markus, it’s either a case of waking up or sticking to his own path. But then the end of his career will be relatively close.”
In addition to Eisenbichler, Constantin Schmid was also not called up for the A squad before the start of the season. Things are going much better for Schmid: he won the jumping in Garmisch on Saturday with a clear lead after jumps of 140.5 and 141.5 meters.
As part of the Four Hills Tournament, Wellinger was recently not considered for the national group, which means additional starting places for the host. In December, a sponsor with Eisenbichler advertised a ticket competition for the New Year’s competition. Nothing came of it.
So instead of toasting with his teammates in a cozy atmosphere in the team hotel on New Year’s Eve and then mentally preparing for the New Year’s jumping in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the six-time world champion looked for his ski jumping form in Planica, Slovenia. But he didn’t find it, as his return to the ski jump in Garmisch impressively demonstrated.