Interview with 2017 Junior World Ski Jump Champion

Name: Manuela Malsiner

Hometown: Ortisei, Italy

Age: 19

Sport: Ski Jumping

Years in the sport: 11

How did you get started in ski jumping?

My former swimming teacher Romed is also a ski jumping coach. When he showed me how to swim at the age of 7, he asked me if I wouldn’t like to try ski jumping, because I have the right character for it.

Goals for this year?

I hope that I can jump like in the past year but I have to improve landing. It’s an Olympic year, so the goal is obviously the participation in Korea. It would be my first Olympic event, so I hope that I can stay relaxed and just think about the jumping

If you were not an athlete, what would you be doing?

I probably would do another kind of sport, because I can’t stop moving. I can’t imagine my life without any sport.

Hobbies

Swimming, climbing, reading, doing Puzzles

What does a typical day of training look like?

It depends on if we are just at home or if we are in a training camp. If we are at home, I do some stretching, biking or jogging in the morning and in the afternoon I train together with my coach. If we aren’t at home, we normally jump the whole day. Otherwise, we do some additional training in the afternoon, like strength training or jumping force.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I’m shy and I hate cooking

Any pre-competition rituals?

Kind of high five with the teammates and while I wait until it’s my turn for jumping, watching my teammates jumping and cheering for them.

Favourite movie and tv series?

I prefer reading than watching tv 😉

Training fuel (food/drink)?

I only drink still water. For lunch, I like to eat some pasta or rice and for dinner a steak, a soup or salad.

Result you’re most proud of?

It’s really hard to choose between of the second place in the World Cup in Zao, Japan, or the 1st place in the Junior World Championship in Park City. I achieved both this year and both are really very important for me.

Anyone you would like to thank?

There are so many people I’m thankful to. After my injuries, I understood who was really supporting me and I’d like to thank all those people. Beginning from my family to my boyfriend, my teammates and above all my coaches Romed and Janko. Janko taught me a lot of new things on the jumping hill and Romed never stopped believing in me. If he had not been/would not be my coach, I would have given up already.

Thank you, Manuela Malsiner! Hope to see you competing in the Olympics next winter. Check her out at FIS and SnowApls