Axel Zitzmann

Axel Zitzmann ( born February 21, 1959 in Grafenthal ) is a former German ski jumper.

He grew up in Lauscha and was in the winter sports section of the former BSG Chemie discovered Lauscha and delegated as a junior squad to the children 's and youth sports school ( KJS ) in Zella -Mehlis. Thus he came to SC Motor Zella- Mehlis, where, also from Lauscha Reinhard Hess was his coach.

Already in his first international tournament on 1 January 1979 at the Ski Flying World Championships in Planica he won the silver medal in the individual competition. Zitzmann was the first German to win an international medal under his former club coach and later national coach Reinhard Hess. The taking place in the same year GDR championships Zitzmann could reach the bronze medal with 3rd place.

In his first World Cup competition on December 30, 1980 in Oberstdorf, he reached the 63rd place. In the following three jumping Four Hills Tournament 1980/81 he was a 19, a 11 in Innsbruck, reaching a 72nd place in Bischofshofen. Garmisch- Partenkirchen In the GDR Championships 1981, he won the bronze medal. On March 21, 1981, he jumped in Planica his last World Cup competitions and reached there a 3rd place.

1978 and 1979 Zitzmann was the winner of the jumping tournament of friendship. He also won the 1978 Bohemia Tournament as well as the Swiss ski jumping tour.

Today Zitzmann is active in the technical field and acts as Race Director for jumping in his homeland.