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The 62 years old former German ski jumping trainer died on Wednesday of cancer. With this news the German sporting world is in grief, loosing one of the best coaches ever not only in ski jumping but in sports in general.

He was in charge of the German ski jumping national team since 1993 and retired in 2003. Under his lead Germany was by far the best ski jumping nation for over a decade, with big names like Jens Weissflog, Dieter Thoma, Martin Schmitt and Sven Hannawald winning 21 Olympic and world championship medals.

In his final season of coaching the German team, he also contributed to Sven Hannawald’s new history page in the Four Hills Tournament. The German ski jumper was the first and even now the only one who managed to win on all the 4 hills.

Reinhard Hess will remain in the memory of winter sports fans all over the world as one of the most dedicated coaches and one who managed to motivate and reinvent his athletes over and over again. The legacy he leaves behind is no doubt priceless.

The 31-year-old Frenchman announced his retirement in a press conference on Wednesday. His decision came after struggling with injuries for some time and never managing to get back into top form.

“I’m too far back to hope I can make it back to the top. It had become so difficult I feel relieved.”

Aside from his Turin Olympic gold, Deneriaz never managed to win another medal in the world championships or Olympics and in the World Cup he won only three races: Val Gardena 2003 and 2004 and Lillehammer 2003.

“I worked very hard because technically I was not that good,” said Deneriaz. “I found the strength to win races, among them the greatest of all. I’m proud of what I’ve done.”