Pius Paschke rocks the Ski Jumping World Cup in Norway

Paschke is actually what you would call a late bloomer in the sport

However, whether women or men, this is also ski jumping and there is actually no hunting involved. Ski jumpers are sensitive people who are more concerned with themselves, with their thoughts, which they should switch off internally as much as possible when they go into the inrun lane, so that at the crucial point, down in the radius, they leave everything to their bodies to feel the ideal pressure point and then take off optimally.

Despite Paschke’s strong form, very few observers could have predicted what followed. This sport always surprises, but one might think that someone who has only been in the partial shadow of the spotlight for all these years and who also seemed to feel comfortable doing so wouldn’t suddenly rock the start of the season. However, there were certainly reasons for this.

Pius Paschke is actually what one would call a late bloomer in the sport. Such athletes need time. They love their sport so much that, like Paschke, they have had almost 15 years of patience for their goal so that they can motivate themselves again and again. Maybe because between regular setbacks there are always small glimmers of hope – like a fifth place. At the beginning he didn’t even jump in the World Cup, like the young top talents, such as Andreas Wellinger, the Austrian Stefan Kraft or the Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi. No, Paschke first went through the lower ski jumping worlds, the Fis Cup, the Alpine Cup or the Conti Cup, which is ranked somewhat higher. It didn’t matter, apart from a short, internal crisis, Paschke stuck with it. Yes, he says, “it took a long time for me.”

Paschke is now not just a late winner, someone who, at the age of 34, has suddenly included winning in his program. Instead, he can now represent something like a protective shield for all those who are still waiting for the season’s form to take hold, which is only the case with a few of DSV coach Stefan Horngacher’s jumpers: “The rest of the team wasn’t quite optimal . I’m happy, but there’s still more possible.” Especially reliable jumpers like Karl Geiger from Oberstdorf are likely to be addressed. However, Andreas Wellinger’s second jump, which took him back to seventh place after a poorer attempt on Sunday, gives Horngacher hope. But above all he says: “I’m really happy for Pius, he did a really good job.”

Markus Eisenbichler has also taken his first step

On the other hand, one of the best and most experienced may not yet have his long form crisis behind him. Markus Eisenbichler, 33, whose emotions have carried him to great victories but whose temper also often got in his way, has also taken his first step. After a whole season in the Conti Cup, the second division, he managed to reach the minimum again. He has qualified for the field of the best 30 jumpers, which means he can receive World Cup points again. For many years, the winner of two competitions at the Four Hills Tournament had shown the jumps in whose shadow the others could hone their form. Now it’s probably the other way around, there are others there in whose shadow Eisenbichler could get back into shape.

Overall, after this weekend, the DSV jumpers Karl Geiger and Stephan Leyhe, Philipp Raimund and Andreas Wellinger no longer have to worry too much about their form. Because of late bloomer Pius Paschke from Kiefersfelden and his early form, everyone on Horngacher’s team can jump on the jumps with a little more peace of mind.