No final highlight
Eisenbichler sneaks out of the chaos season with a declaration of war
March 15, 2024, 2:18 p.m
A difficult season didn’t take away Markus Eisenbichler’s desire for ski jumping. The 32-year-old wants to continue. He draws his motivation from recent outstanding performances in the second-class Continental Cup. He voluntarily foregoes a highlight at the end of the season.
The six-time ski jumping world champion Markus Eisenbichler will not return to the World Cup this winter. A possible appearance in the season finale in Planica, Slovenia would be out of the question for him, said the 32-year-old in a statement distributed by the DSV. Ski flying won’t get him anywhere “in the current situation and the way the season has gone so far,” said the Bavarian.
Eisenbichler recently impressed with strong performances in the second-class Continental Cup (COC). He had previously had to deal with numerous disappointments and once even ended up almost at the back of the field. However, he won two of the last six competitions and was on the podium four times. A late and remarkable resurrection. National coach Stefan Horngacher, who had criticized him heavily before Christmas, had now promised him a place in the World Cup squad for Planica (March 22nd to 24th).
“Basically, I would of course be happy if I were nominated,” said Eisenbichler, who also ended the emerging and intensively discussed speculation about a possible end to his career: “I feel fit, but my gut feeling tells me it’s better to follow suit “To recover from the last COC in order to then start preparing for the coming season rested and highly motivated.”
Eisenbichler, who will compete in the COC in Zakopane, Poland this weekend, competed in his last World Cup in April 2023. A return to Planica would have been logical at first glance: Eisenbichler won his first of three World Cup victories on the Letalnica ski jump in March 2019, followed by bronze in the individual and silver with the team at the 2020 Ski Flying World Championships in 2017 and 2019 He set the German record there with 248.0 m.
Eisenbichler missed the Four Hills Tournament this winter for the first time since 2012. Now he’s looking forward: “Next winter there are real highlights on the program again with the tour and the World Championships in Trondheim. I would therefore like to take the momentum and fun from the last few weeks with me and prepare myself in top shape for these highlights.”