“I always want to give everything and push my boundaries!”

The last winter made Austria’s Franz-Josef Rehrl into an athlete to watch for, this summer, he proved that he has the grit to stand on the very top. Right before the season start, we caught up with the Summer Grand Prix winner 2019 and talked about general goals and starting the season in Ruka.

After your breakthrough season last winter, you followed up with a really good summer as well. How do you look towards starting the season now?

Franz-Josef Rehrl: After last season and also this summer, I am super motivated and would like to continue to show what I am capable of this winter, of course.

This summer, your Nordic Combined competition almost “clashed” a bit with your “second job” and big hobby, paragliding. Were you able to get some more airtime that way after the Summer Grand Prix ended?

Rehrl: (laughs) Well, Nordic Combined has precedence right now. I was only able to do a few flights.  At some point in my life I will have more time for that.

Two weeks to go until the season starts in Ruka (FIN). How do your days look like at the moment and what will you do until the competitions start again?

Rehrl: We are just doing some fine-tuning in these last days. At the moment, we are in Rovaniemi (FIN) to do some cross-country skiing and next week, we will have some more ski jumps in Innsbruck.

Ruka is always a tough start into the World Cup with one of the biggest hills and often difficult wind conditions. How do you like the place?

Rehrl: Yes, Ruka is special and you just have to have a bit of luck there. Still, I will try and not be intimidated by this and try to come out of the starting gate swinging, so to say. (laughs)

How important is it to have a good first World Cup weekend to kick off the season?

Rehrl: For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or the last competition, I always want to give everything and push my boundaries. Of course it helps especially mentally if you have good results right from the start but for example last year, Ruka was not very successful for me but the season went quite well.

The World Cup will win with the Ruka Tour, which means three event days. Have you set any specific goals for the weekend?

Rehrl: No, nothing specific. Of course I hope to be able to be among the best with a good performance.