“Circle closes” – Germany’s head ski jumping coach announces retirement

Austria’s Stefan Horngacher announced he will leave his role as Germany’s national ski jumping head coach after the upcoming Olympic season. The 56‑year‑old made the announcement at the German Ski Association (DSV) team outfitting event in Nuremberg.

Horngacher has held the position since April 2019. Reflecting on his career, he said, “For me, the circle closes—it’s a rounded end,” noting that his first major success as an athlete came with team gold at the Olympic venue of Predazzo in 1991.

DSV sports director Horst Hüttel said he was caught off guard by the news: “I have to let this sink in first,” he commented, adding that the federation will look for “a long‑term solution” for the future leadership of the national team.