World association race director Sandro Pertile imagines ski jumping in Brazil. The national coach has other priorities.
Ski jumping national coach Stefan Horngacher reacted cautiously to the ambitious visions of world association racing director Sandro Pertile. “You can think out loud. However, I would rather suggest that we improve our current plan. That we support the competition locations even better and make them more professional,” said the 54-year-old to the dpa. “We should make sure that we raise ski jumping here to an even higher level and put on a good show for the fans that we have.”
Pertile recently said that he considered competitions in Brazil, among other things, possible in the future. “We are thinking of a mobile system. We could set it up in Rio in the Maracanã and put on a huge show,” the FIS official said. Pertile also talked about indoor facilities.
“Present sport at the highest level”
“I don’t know exactly whether you absolutely have to ski jump in Brazil. I don’t know the ulterior motive,” said Horngacher. “As far as we’re concerned, I see it more like this: ski jumping has caused a huge hype again in the last ten or 15 years. The ratings are high.”
The Four Hills Tournament in particular would be very popular, regardless of whether it was live in the stadium or in front of the television. “We simply have to ensure that we present our sport at the highest level in the short time we have in the winter,” said Horngacher.
The Austrian also said: “It would also be important that we see that the athletes might earn a little more prize money.” Although things have improved in the meantime, “It could get even better because the boys train all year round and play a risky sport, you shouldn’t forget that. In addition, the perception of a sport also increases with the amount of prize money. “