Willingen: Secret Victory Gives Tschofenig Confidence

Austrian ski jumpers have been waiting for an individual win in Willingen for 15 years. In a mixed team event – where the Austrians secured second place behind Norway – Daniel Tschofenig, along with teammates Lisa Eder, Jan Hörl, and Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, delivered an impressive performance.

Tschofenig, recognized as the World Cup leader in ski jumping, nearly clinched an individual win with jumps of 136 and 140 meters, narrowly beating Norwegian André Johan Forfang. Reflecting on his performance, the 22‐year‐old expressed that he still has some untapped potential, noting that while his first jump was strong, the second came a bit too early, costing him a few crucial meters on this particular hill.

Jan Hörl, despite being pleased with the team’s overall result, admitted that he has yet to find his ideal rhythm. Meanwhile, enthusiasm was high as the atmosphere in Willingen – known for hosting the largest ski jumping hill for the Ski Jumping World Cup – was bolstered by the positive weather conditions, which, as coach Andreas Widhölzl and ski flying champion Stefan Kraft noted, are expected to aid in fair competition throughout the weekend.

This quiet but significant win not only provides fresh confidence for Tschofenig but also marks the end of a long individual victory drought for Austria on a World Cup hill, a gap that last saw a win from Gregor Schlierenzauer 15 years ago.