Back on the Ski Jump Front

- Two years of ski jumping abstinence

- Two years in which I personally was not at a World Cup on site

- Two years in which I had to lead and coordinate the affairs from the headquarters

One can imagine how great the joy was about my World Cup comeback this weekend in Zakopane! Together with my team we were responsible for the trail maintenance during the World Cup, and it was as much fun for me as never before. Nothing gives me so much energy as creating something great together with my employees and perfectly syncing our “old” new team together again.

The organizers in Zakopane are known for everything being well organized and running smoothly, and this time was no different. The 10,000 spectators in the stadium added the cherry on top of the spectacle. How emotional I became when the mood in the cauldron of Zakopane began to boil! It is very nice to see that the spectators may again participate on site—even if with strict restrictions and a hygiene concept. The weather god also contributed and provided us with ideal conditions and very cold temperatures for a ski jumping festival!

I used the weekend mainly for networking and to exchange with acquaintances, partners and friends from the ski jumping world. For me it is extremely important to be in constant exchange with the international ski federation and the coaches from the national associations. Only when you also know the opinions of experts and people who work with it daily can you constantly and optimally develop your products.

The weekend was also, if you will, the warm-up for our next big assignment, the Ski Flying World Championships in Vikersund. Preparations are already starting in the coming days and will keep us on track until the event in mid-March. With so much positive energy that we took from Zakopane, nothing can be but a total success! :-))

Yours, Peter Riedel