Over the last years the number of competitors in World Cups has grown and so the latest competitions were attended by the large number of 70 jumpers. While a handful of jumpers is fighting for victory, an even larger group struggles to pass qualification or to see the second round. To get an insight what’s happening in that second row, Ladies-Skijumping.com intern Frederik Clasen talked within the World Cup weekend in Hinterzarten to Italy’s junior hope Manuela Malsiner.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: What are your goals for this season?
Manuela Malsiner: This season is for sure a very important one for all girls because of the Olympic Games in Sochi in February, but I think that I am far away from going there. So I am focused on the Junior World Championships in Predazzo which will be held in the end of January. I want to make a good result there and then I will try to finish in the top 30 of as many World Cup competitions as possible.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Will you be in the World Cup Team for the whole season?
Malsiner: Probably yes, but today after the competition (Sat. 21/12, Hinterzarten) Ivo Pertile (manager in the Italian Ski Federation FISI) told us that we can’t continue the way it is now, as no Italian made it to the top 30. I think that if the results won’t get better our coach just has to leave some of the team members at home. (In the competition on the next day Malsiner’s team-mates Runggaldier and Insam both finished in the top 30)
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Are you satisfied with the support of the FISI?
Malsiner: I am satisfied with it, but the spreading of the money is not so fair for all disciplines. The alpine skiing team is getting more money than the nordic disciplines. At the end of a season we are normally getting a little low on money, so it is hard to get to all training camps and competitions.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: You are the youngest jumper in the team. How do you get along with your team mates? Do they give you advices and can you ask them questions from time to time?
Malsiner: I get along very well with everyone especially with Evelyn (Insam), because she is a bit younger than the others and also because she is able to see a joke. For sure I ask the others for advices because they have more experience than I have. They are very helpful and taught me, for example, how I can fight nervousness at competitions or told me generally about things I can do things better. They also give me advices without asking them.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Do you sometimes wish yourself more attention for Ladies Skijumping, especially in your home country Italy?
Malsiner: Yes, of course. In comparison to competitions in Italy, pretty much spectators came to see the World Cup here in Hinterzarten today. In Italy the people in general don’t pay so much attention to ski jumping. Despite this I think that Ladies Skijumping made progresses in many parts and I hope that it will go on like this!
Ladies-Skijumping.com: What do your teachers and friends think of the fact that you miss school so often and that you don’t have so much time?
Malsiner: I am attending a school that supports athletes and as I don’t have bad grades, they have no reason to worry. They don’t say a word, they just wish me good luck ahead of competitions. It is important also for them, that I am successful in my sportive career.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Do you like traveling?
Malsiner: Traveling is always nice. I like it to start a journey but I also like it to come back home after some time, because it is stressful to be away for a long time. The worst thing about traveling, in my opinion, is the jetlag. January will be very stressful. At first we will go go to Chaikovsky, Russia, come back for two days and then we fly to Japan for two competition weekends.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Do you have favorite jumping hill and did you already jump on a large hill?
Malsiner: Yes, last summer I made many nice jumps on the normal hill in Almaty, Kazakhstan, so I really like it. I also like the hills in Ramsau, Austria, and Kranj, Slovenia. But actually I like many hills. Yes, this summer we were jumping on the large hill in Courchevel/FRA once. There I set my personal best with approximately 115 meters.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: How did you come to start ski jumping?
Malsiner: When I was younger (7-8 years) I was in the swimming club and my coach there was also a ski jumping coach. Because I always jumped around during the swimming lesson he asked me if I would like to try ski jumping. I liked that idea immediately and so I started to jump.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: How much training do you have to do?
Malsiner: The level in the World Cup is rising more and more. Due to that also I have to do more training now. When we are on a training camp we do six or seven jumping units. Additional to that we go regularly to the gym or to the weight room. I go to weight room usually five times per week.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Finally a special question about the Christmas time: Do you have to pay attention on what you eat on Christmas eve?
Malsiner: You should not eat to much, but Christmas is a special celebration and so it iss allowed to eat a little bit more. Usually all jumpers are doing that.
Ladies-Skijumping.com: Then I wish you a merry Christmas time, a Happy New year and good luck for the rest of the season. Thank you for doing this interview, although you did not feel so well after falling in today’s competition.
Malsiner: Thank you, the same to you. It was no problem for me to do this interview today!