Former Ski Jumping Coach Wolfgang Steiert Dies at 61

The German Ski Association announced the passing of the influential coach, known for his role in shaping ski jumping successes in Germany and Russia.

Wolfgang Steiert, former German ski jumping head coach, passed away on December 12, 2024, at the age of 61; the cause of death has not been disclosed.
Steiert served as co-trainer of the German national team from 1993, contributing to major victories, including Sven Hannawald's historic Four Hills Tournament sweep in 2002 and Olympic gold in Salt Lake City the same year.
He briefly served as Germany's head coach after the 2003 World Championship but was replaced in 2004 due to internal conflicts and lack of results.
Steiert later coached the Russian ski jumping team, leading athletes like Dmitri Vassiliev to prominence, though his tenure ended after the 2010 Winter Olympics due to unmet medal expectations.
Returning to Germany in 2010, Steiert worked as a regional coach at the Ski Internat Furtwangen, mentoring young athletes until his passing.