During Mega Jump – Knauß: 'I Got My Pants Completely Soiled!'

Hans Knauß recalled, during an Audi talk in anticipation of the upcoming Nordic Ski World Championships, his wildest jump on the ski slope. In 1995, after not nailing his final jump perfectly during his debut in Gröden, he took even greater risk the following day and flew 76 meters. “The photographers only captured my skis and lower legs on their pictures. I got my pants completely soiled – it was extreme,” the 54‐year-old reminisced.

Knauß, who never really envisioned a career in ski jumping, revealed that he was a big admirer of ski jumping legend Andi Goldberger. "Goldberger was a star – the ultimate high flyer, an absolute phenomenon. Aside from him, only Hermann Maier managed to create a similar hype," he said, praising Goldberger as both a brilliant athlete and a great man, then and now.

Looking forward to the championships, Knauß expressed concern over the pressure on the Austrian jumpers. “Everyone expects medals, and that naturally creates a certain pressure which I hope they can withstand,” he warned. Nevertheless, the former racer remained optimistic, predicting that Austria will secure nine medals in Trondheim, three of which will be gold.