Aigner Seeks World Cup Qualification Following Double Victory

Aigner Seeks World Cup Qualification Following Double Victory

Originally published in Krone on September 22, 2024

Clemens Aigner, an accomplished ski jumper from Austria, is riding high after a stellar weekend. He not only clinched victory on Saturday, but also repeated his success on Sunday during the Continental Cup held in Stams, surpassing notable competitors like French jumper Foubert and teammate Jonas Schuster.

Feeling elated from his back-to-back wins, Aigner remarked, "Finally, it worked out here at home." He reflected on the significance of this achievement, noting that it had been nine long years since his last win in this venue, making this triumph even more meaningful.

At 31 years old, Aigner leads the points standings heading into the final competition of the season in Klingenthal, Germany, which takes place on September 28-29, holding a commanding 167-point advantage. With a confident demeanor, he stated, "It looks good for me."

Aigner's primary goal is to secure a position on the Austrian World Cup team. He shared, "This trophy is secondary; qualifying for the World Cup is my main goal. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to achieve that last year in the autumn." Currently, he is in a strong position for a quota spot with 272 points, placing him ahead of his teammates Manuel Fettner and Daniel Huber.

When it comes to his recent success, Aigner believes that substantial improvements stem from a detailed analysis of his season, with a particular focus on both his equipment and technique.

In the women's Continental Cup events, 17-year-old Meghann Wadsak also shone brightly, securing third place on both days. She trailed just behind French winner Josephine Pagnier and Germany's Agnes Reisch. Wadsak expressed her happiness about her performance, stating, "I knew I could compete well here, but executing it in the competition is what mattered. I'm really happy to have done that."