Taking the third rank in the overall Continental Cup that summer Germany’s Melanie Faisst surprised everyone. Ladies-Skijumping.com editor Stefan Diaz talked to her about that success.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: This summer you took the third rank in the overall Continental Cup. That was your best result ever. What is the reason that you are in such an excellent form now?
Melanie Faisst: I can’t explain that to myself fully. I looked at everything in that summer and during the whole preparation with more fun and blitheness. I think that helped me a lot. In the last winter I had to suffer a setback and I think that I got aroused by it, because I did not take into account that I could be so off myself.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: What kind of a setback? Are you talking bout your injury?
Faisst: Yes, I had a knee surgery at the end of October. But I was able to walk again quite quickly after it and had never thought that it restrains me so much. In the last winter just nothing worked, so I decided to pass on sports and do my final school exams. Certainly that was not a mistake. But the results I achieved in the COC’s were just not what I and the coaches expected.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: You are bringing up a topic I wanted to ask you about next. You have finished school and started to work. How can you balance that with your training.
Faisst: That is no problem, as my boss, the speech therapist Gabriele Iven, who has built up a therapy centre here in Baiersbronn, always gives me days off. I arrange it all with her and she gives me a lot off support for both, my sports and my future in that job. Actually nothing better could have happened to me.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Where do you do your training most times and who are your coaches?
Faisst: My present coach is Danny Winkelmann, coach of the state’s squad is Hans-Paul Herr. He coached me in the last three years at the boarding school and helped me achieving my good results at the Junior World Championships. All local coaches were always there, when one needed them, I think that’s something rare. I was always able to ask Rolf Schilli, Stefan Horngacher or Christoph Klump, who has served as my private coach before. Right now I do my training here at home in Baiersbronn, together with Magda (Schnurr), Svenja (Würth) and the Nordic Combined skiers.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: How is your training running? It’s just a few week till the onset of winter.
Faisst: It could not be better. I was recently with my state’s squad in Predazzo and made a very good finish of the summer there. I am looking forward to the winter now, as I did not have any injuries in the whole summer and autumn. I have a positive attitude towards the new season.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Did you set any distinct goal for the winter? After all you were the break-through jumper of that summer.
Faisst: My goal is for sure the Junior World Championships in Hinterzarten. That is almost my home jumping hill there and it will be the winter’s highlight. But I just want to try to perform well, I have given proof that summer, that I can jump good, so I’m going to try to do so in the winter.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: So a COC-win is not on your list?
Faisst: There are enough other jumpers having the same goal. I think I just have to see. I want to have as much fun with ski jumping this winter as I had in the summer and if all runs fine, then we will see what happens.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Before we will finish that interview, can you tell us if you have a favourite jumping hill?
Faisst: Favourite hill, well there are so many nice ones, but where I enjoy jumping a lot is in Predazzo on the K120 as well as in Neustadt on the K120. Despite I like Zakopane a lot and of the small hills of course Pöhla and Oberwiesenthal.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: So, finally the last question: Do you have any archetypes in sports you strive to be like?
Faisst: I think Gregor Schlierenzauer is just incredible. He is just slightly older then I am and already achieved so much and has so much knowledge of the whole sport and jumping. That is just unbelievable. I really admire him.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: I keep my fingers crossed for the winter. Thank you for the nice interview.
Faisst: Thanks!