Mechler “doesn’t reach the team”
Women’s ski jumping national coach surprisingly resigns
November 15, 2023, 2:18 p.m
The German ski jumpers won three gold medals at the World Championships in spring and are currently preparing for the new season. Shortly before the first competition there is a serious change: national coach Maximilian Mechler is resigning.
Maximilian Mechler surprisingly resigned as national coach of the German ski jumpers shortly before the start of the season. “We achieved great success until the end. However, in the last few weeks I realized that I no longer reached the team in the way that I needed to in order to be able to achieve these successes in the future,” said the 39-year-old loudly Announcement from the German Ski Association.
“Although I regret the timing of my resignation, I am firmly convinced that this is the right, logical step,” said the former athlete, who celebrated his only World Cup victory in the team competition in Willingen in 2005 and won silver at the Ski Flying World Championships in Vikersund in 2012 : “Working with this team has given me a lot of joy over the years.” The ski jumpers around world champion Katharina Schmid (formerly Althaus) start their World Cup season on December 2nd in Lillehammer, Norway. The previous assistant coach Thomas Juffinger will now lead the team on an interim basis.
Mechler only took over in 2021/2022
Sports director Horst Hüttel said he regretted Mechler’s decision, but also respected it. “Max will support the men’s junior teams in the future. This will ensure a valuable transfer of know-how in the system,” said Hüttel. He also highlighted Mechler’s “extremely committed and highly professional work”.
Mechler succeeded long-time national coach Andreas Bauer for the 2021/22 season. Under his leadership, Schmid (then Althaus) was crowned world champion on the normal hill at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia last winter. The German team and mixed team also won gold. In addition to Schmid, Selina Freitag is now also one of the world’s best; in the overall World Cup the duo took second place (Schmid) and fifth place (Freitag) in the previous season.