Adler without Skis - Wind! Weather Chaos Looms on Monster Jump

Adler without Skis - Wind! Weather Chaos Looms on Monster Jump
For Austria's ski jumpers, the World Cup weekend in Ruka starts with an unplanned setback. The ski luggage was lost during travel, which compounded their difficulties as weather reports indicate strong winds and severe conditions could disrupt the competition.

Lasse Ottesen, head of the Nordic combined team, took precautionary measures by conducting PCR tests during training on Thursday, ensuring they secure two possible World Cup races despite the adverse conditions.

Franz-Josef Rehrl, known for his jumping prowess, secretly hopes for windy conditions that could disrupt other competitors, giving him a competitive edge. Unfortunately, their preparations suffered as the Austrian team couldn't train due to lost gear and rainy weather that temporarily closed the jump on Monday and Tuesday.

With a solid start to the season behind them, head coach Andi Widhölzl remains optimistic: “We can handle this setback. We focused more on our physical training.” He is nonchalant about the impending bad weather, recalling past instances where he spent five days in a hotel without jumping.