Curiosity at Top athlete
DSV jumpers canceled ski flying-because of fear of heights
03/27/2025 – 6:03 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The last World Cup of winter is on the weekend in Planica. But DSV-Adler Philipp Raimund does without a start. The reason is strange for a ski jumper.
Philipp Raimund is actually one of the most constant German ski jumpers of this winter. In the overall World Cup, it is in 22nd place. But when skiing in Planica, the 24-year-old surprisingly does without a start-for a remarkable reason.
Raimund explained to social media that he suffered from fear of height – and that he is now creating this again. The World Cup sixth from Oberstdorf announced that he could usually control the situation well and that it is usually not a problem with ski jumping. But especially when skiing, it happens that his body suddenly reacts – without having to influence it himself.
“I lose control for one and a half seconds and can only observe myself while I am practically captured in a claw,” wrote Raimund. According to him, 95 percent of his jumps are not affected, but in Planica (ski jump record 252 meters) he does not want to take any risk, “if I don’t know whether I am still the pilot or at least can react”.
The two-time junior world champion will not take part in the individual competition on Friday or in the team competition on Saturday. In his place, Markus Eisenbichler could now move into the team – and thus probably contest his last competition. Eisenbichler would only have another option if he surprisingly jumps under the top 30 of the overall World Cup on Friday and thus qualified for the World Cup final on Sunday.
It is open whether Raimund will start again on Sunday at the end of the season. In his words, however, at least hope sounds: “Usually I want to go back to the ski jump when I watch others jumping. Hopefully it will run that time. And if not, it is just like that.”