Norway coach

Stöckl not with the team at Raw Air “out of respect”

Norway's ski jumping coach Alexander Stöckl has announced that he will be following the upcoming Raw Air series from afar. He will not be there out of "respect for the athletes", said the Austrian. There are currently tensions between him and the team. The athletes recently criticized their coach in a letter,

"We respect that it can be a hindrance for some athletes when I perform my role on site. In cooperation with the team, I will do my best from home to make the Tour a success," Stöckl said in a statement.

The 50-year-old will therefore not be traveling with his team to the Raw Air series. The tour takes place in Norway from March 8th to 17th. Magnus Breivig and Thomas Lobben will act as coaches for the Norwegian ski jumping team at the competitions on Holmenkollen, in Trondheim and Vikersund. 

Stöckl explained that he and his team had tried to reach a consensus and make the best possible preparations: "We have worked hard to reach an agreement on the orderly execution of the Raw Air." However, things are still bubbling behind the scenes.

What will happen next?
In a letter to the Ski Jumping Committee in mid-February, several Norwegian athletes complained about their coach and his "human leadership". Stöckl then sought clarification several times, but has never been to a competition since. 

The long-serving coach still has a contract in Norway until 2026, but it currently seems extremely unlikely that he will fulfill it. The proud ski jumping nation of Norway can look back on a disappointing season. Only one victory in the World Cup has been achieved so far.