Norway and Austria name teams for 4-Hills-Tournament

On Wednesday and Thursday this week, the Ski Associations of Austria and Norway named their teams for the 4-Hills-Tournament, starting on December 29th.

The Norwegian team of head coach Alexander Stoeckl remains the same as in the World Cup recently. After the very good results of his athletes in this season so far, with wins in all three team competitions and the victory of Anders Fannemel last weekend in Engelberg, there's no reason for the Austrian to make any changes.

This means that Daniel Andre Tande, Johann Andre Forfang, Andreas Stjernen, Anders Fannemel, Halvor Egner Granerud and Robert Johansson will travel to Germany on December 28th for the opening event in Oberstdorf.

"We are very satisfied with what has happened so far. Everyone who has participated in the World Cup was in the Top 10 or even on the podium. This is very promising for what lies ahead. We have the feeling that we start the 4-Hills-Tournament with lots of potential and well prepared", Alexander Stoeckl is quoted on the website of the Norwegian Ski Association.

Austria without Manuel Poppinger

With Stefan Kraft, Michael Hayboeck, Daniel Huber, Gregor Schlierenzauer, Manuel Fettner and Clemens Aigner, Austria will also be represented by ski jumpers who were on the World Cup team so far this season in the first two stops of the 4-Hills-Tournament in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Manuel Poppinger will return for the event in Innsbruck.

"The decision was everything but easy this time, because unfortunately we failed to earn the seventh quota spot in the Continental Cup and so we can only name six athletes to the team for all four events of the 4-Hills. Manuel Poppinger will focus on training now and work on his consistency. He will join the team again in Innsbruck", head coach Heinz Kuttin said after a training camp in Seefeld and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.