Ski jumping: Kraft and Schlierenzauer lead ÖSV line-up

Stefan Kraft and Gregor Schlierenzauer lead Austria’s squad for the first two jumps of the Four Hills Tournament in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

This was announced by the ÖSV on Thursday after a three-day training course. Schlierenzauer (27) only started into the season at the beginning of December due to injury, last weekend the record World Cup winner missed the second round of the best 30 twice. Double world champion Kraft (24) is the clear number one in the team, but is still waiting for his first win of the season.

National coach Heinz Kuttin also nominated Clemens Aigner, Manuel Fettner, Michael Hayböck and Daniel Huber. Manuel Poppinger, the team’s runners-up in the World Cup, will not be part of the squad for the time being, but will return to the team via the national group at the third stop in Innsbruck.

“The decision was anything but easy this time, because we missed out on seventh place in the Continental Cup and therefore can only nominate six athletes for all four competitions of the tour,”said Kuttin.