Athlete of the Week: Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT)

Is there anything better than standing on the podium in a Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup event? Austria’s Franz-Josef Rehrl will be able to think of something: standing on the podium in your very hometown. The 25-year-old, who made his World Cup debut in this very hometown of Ramsau am Dachstein in 2011, had a taste of this wonderful feeling on the past weekend.

Two podium position in the season of 2018/19 already and two courageous races from the talented ski jumper made Rehrl into this week’s Athlete of the Week - with the potential of more to come this winter.

Rehrl, who is a passionate paragliding pilot in his free time, had already been overjoyed with his first-ever third place in the 5 km Ind. Gundersen event in Lillehammer this winter but the second place in Ramsau were the emotional highlight of his career so far. Crossing the finish line behind Jarl Magnus Riiber on Saturday, Rehrl celebrated the silver rank like a victory.

“The ceremony was so emotional for me, I had goosebumps all over”, Rehrl recounted at the following press conference. “I live 5 min away from the jumping hill and my entire family was here, my grandparents, my aunt and uncles, all my friends. I am so happy that I was able to show what I can do. This makes me really proud.”

The basis for Rehrl’s successes can definitely be found on the jumping hill, where Rehrl even surpassed shooting star and World Cup leader Jarl Magnus Riiber in the Best Jumper Standings on the last weekend. Even while aided by Riiber’s misfortune on the last jump of the weekend, this is no small feat, given the fact how Riiber was able to dominate the field on the jumping hill in the past.

What changed last weekend was the way Rehrl conducted himself on the cross-country track. Working together with Riiber on the first day, Rehrl was confident in his abilities and able to match the yellow bib bearer’s pace for the entire race. On Sunday, Rehrl’s different stance was even more visible. Leading a big group jostling for the podium positions a long time, it was only on the last uphill that Rehrl had to concede defeat to the fast skiers… for now. Even like this, a Top Ten finish still followed.

With rank five in the overall World Cup standings, Rehrl is on course for a career-best season… with the large hill events that play into his cards even more still following later on in the winter. One thing is for sure, Franz-Josef Rehrl shold be on the list of athletes to watch for in the 2019 events.