May 24, 2010 – The time period following the Olympic Games is often an important opportunity for reflection and analysis as well as goal-setting for the next Olympic period. For teams, this may mean change and reorientation. Among the World Cup teams in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, this spring has brought about a few changes in the coaching ranks. What follows is a brief summary of the changes that have come to the attention of the FIS Newsflash:

In Finland, Janne Väätäinen has resigned as Ski Jumping head coach and will be replaced by countryman Pekka Niemelä who has been a successful coach of the French national team during the last several seasons. The new man in charge of the French jumping team is Julien Eybert Guillon.

In Japan , the Finnish head coach Kari Ylianttila will be succeeded by Chiharu Saito who will be leading a team of coaches. Jochen Danneberg, who coached the jumpers of Team USA will be the new coach of the Dutch team, replacing Bastian Tielmann. The future coaches in the USA will be former jumpers Clint Jones and Casey Colby.

Wolfgang Steiert and Bernie Schödler have left their responsibilities in Russia but their successor is not yet known. Schödler was named the new head of Ski Jumping in his native country of Switzerland. In Canada , Tadeusz Bafia will be replaced by Gregor Linsig.

The most successful Ski Jumping team of the last season, Austria , will continue to be led by Alexander Pointner. He will be newly supported by Alexander Diess who used to be the jumping coach of the Austrian Nordic Combined team. The previous co-coach of the Austrian eagles, German native Marc Nölke has transferred to the German Ski Association (DSV) to help out head coach Werner Schuster. Rolf Schilli, previously in Nölke’s new role, will be responsible for the younger generations of jumpers in the future.

Nordic Combined, Norwegians want to jump like Austrians

Never change a winning team: This slogan seems to have dominated the scene in Nordic Combined with few changes in the Nordic Combined coaching positions so far. Dave Jarrett will remain head coach of the US team. Etienne Gouy will continue to guide France’s  Jason Lamy Chappuis to new victories, assisted by Jerome Laheurte. And Bard Joergen Elden will add at least one season to his head coach adventure with the successful  Austrian  team. In  Finland , Kimmo Savolainen will continue in his role as well.

However, the Austrian way to tackle winter sports is not only appreciated in Ski Jumping and Alpine Skiing, but in Nordic Combined as well. The new head coach of Switzerland is an Austrian. Replacing the German Peter Leiner, only 32-year-old Robert Treitinger will coach the Swiss national team in the upcoming season. Treitinger has been coaching the Austrian Continental Cup team for the last four years. Before that he worked with the Tyrolean Ski Association and the SV Innsbruck Bergisel, the club of the jumping superstar Gregor Schlierenzauer and Four-Hills-Tournament winner Andreas Kofler.

An Austrian Ski Jumping coach is also moving to Scandinavia. Nik Huber, until now personal coach of the Four-Hills-Tournament winner, world champion and Olympic champion with the Austrian team Wolfgang Loitzl, is heading to Norway. There he will be Ski Jumping coach of Magnus Moan, Petter Tande and others on their road to the hometown World Championships in Oslo. “For Norway, these Championships are more important than Olympic Games”, Huber said. “A medal shall be possible. It’s about finding the icing on the cake. And for sure there’s potential in Ski Jumping.”