Felix Hoffmann soars to second in Engelberg World Cup as form and hill align

Felix Hoffmann continued his excellent week on the Gross-Titlis-Schanze by taking second place in the Engelberg World Cup. After topping every training session and winning Friday’s qualification, the 28‑year‑old German delivered 138 m in the first round and a superb 141 m in the final. He was beaten only by Slovenia’s overall World Cup leader Domen Prevc by 3.8 points. Japan’s Ren Nikaido secured third place.

The competition swung on wind and execution. First‑round leader Ryoyu Kobayashi (131 m in round two) suffered unfavorable wind and a long wait before his jump, sliding out of the podium places.

Germany had two clear standouts. Philipp Raimund produced 138 m and 135 m for fourth and said he “knows what to do right now.” Behind Hoffmann and Raimund, however, the German team showed a gap in depth. Pius Paschke improved from 123 m to 130 m to finish 15th.

Youngster Ben Bayer made his World Cup debut after a 17th place in the Continental Cup proved enough for a call‑up amid absences. He cleared qualification and finished 38th with 127 m, calling the experience “exciting.”

Looking ahead, head coach Stefan Horngacher confirmed that Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger—held out of Engelberg to rebuild form—will definitely return for the start of the Four Hills Tournament in Oberstdorf. With the Olympics looming in February, Germany is seeking four reliable jumpers for the team event.

Key results: 1) Domen Prevc (SLO), 2) Felix Hoffmann (GER), 3) Ren Nikaido (JPN), 4) Philipp Raimund (GER).