Training update June / July

As customary at this time of year, all teams are deep into their training activities. This article provides an overview of who went where to train what these days.

Austria

Head coach Christoph Eugen’s team started into the jumping season in Planica  (SLO) at the beginning of June. All athletes of the first training group, except Mario Seidl, who can’t jump yet after his knee injury and Lukas Klapfer, who is completing his education as a customs officer, were present in Slovenia and practiced their jumping skills. Easing into the training with shorter skis and different tasks like different arm positions in flight, the athletes also got to enjoy bodyflying in Planica’s indoor facility to really feel all sensations during flight.

At the end of June, the team came together again for a week in Predazzo, Val di Fiemme, where they enjoyed the spectacular mountain landscape.

The Austrian Nordic Combined women also had their first camp of the summer.

Czech Republic

Finland

In Finland, athletes were busy with training camps in Vuokatti and also participated in the Vuokatti Aateli Race. Two camps take place in Kuopio in June and July before the traditional Vaskiyhdistety is on in Lieksa again in late July.

France

The French team also turned to tried and trusted Planica (SLO) for a camp of ski jumping, mountain hikes, roller skiing and physical training.

Italy

While the B and C teams enjoyed a training week in Planica (SLO) and Villach (AUT) with coached Ivo Pertile and Paolo Bernardi, Sports Director Federico Rigoni nominated Alessandro Pittin, Samuel Costa, Raffaele Buzzi, Aaron Kostner and Lukas Runggaldier for a camp in Stams and Innsbruck (AUT), where the athletes will prepare for the Summer Grand Prix 2019. The B team, consisting of Denis Parolari, Manuel Maierhofer and Luca and Veronica Gianmoena also joined the A-team for a few days.

Japan

Akito Watabe, Hideaki Nagai, Yoshito Watabe, Go Yamamoto and Hidefumi Denda spent time with a fitness check, other tests and a wind tunnel session at the National Sports Centre in Tokyo, as well as took summer jumps at the jumping facility in Hakuba.

Poland

The Polish A and Junior teams also chose Nordic hotspot Planica (SLO) for a preparatory camp at the beginning of July. The athletes of new head coach Tomasz Pochwala remain in Planica until the 10th of Jury to work on their jumping and cross-country skills.

USA

Before the big 4th of July celebrations brought a fun competition atmosphere for the U.S. team, it was time for the annual Fish Creek time trial, testing the athletes’ fitness at this time of year. Taylor Fletcher was the fastest athlete up the steep uphill course, finishing in 23:50:00. Jared Shumate crossed the finish line 53 seconds later, followed by Stephen Schumann, who is back in training after his ACL injury last year. The fastest female up the distance was Annika Malacinski, who needed 37:55:00.