Austria coach Pointner leaves ski team

Austria's ski jumping coach Alexander Pointner, who led the likes of Thomas Morgenstern and Gregor Schlierenzauer to Olympic and world glory over the past 10 years, announced Friday he will be leaving the team. The 43-year-old men's coach, who turned Austria into the dominant team on the ski jumping circuit after taking over in 2004, said his contract would not be renewed following disagreements with the Austrian ski federation (OeSV). Under his leadership, Austria's "eagles" nabbed seven Olympic medals -- including three golds -- four World Cup trophies and 10 world championship titles, seven of them in the team discipline. In Sochi in February, he again helped Schlierenzauer and his colleagues grab Olympic silver in the team event. In a separate statement, the OeSV said Friday it was looking for a "new direction" and "a new impulse" and thanked Pointner for his work.   He will be replaced by former double world champion and three-time Olympic medallist Heinz Kuttin, the federation said. source: AFP