Domen Prevc: I see no reason why I shouldn’t do well in Engelberg

Polona Bertoncelj interviews the ski jumper

14. december 2017 ob 19.59 • Ljubljana - MMC RTV SLO

Domen Prevc was the best young jumper of the previous season. Photo: Reuters

Where is Domen Prevc? That’s what ski jumping fans have been asking lately. Slovenia’s best ski jumper of the past season has trained intensively and plans to rejoin the World Cup competitions this weekend in Engelberg -- earlier than planned.

The Swiss ski jump suits the youngest of the Prevc brothers. After all, he has made it onto the podium in three of the four times he had competed on the jump. Last year, he was first and second. He is unlikely to be similarly successful this year, since the 18-year-old isn’t performing as well and has failed to qualify for the Slovenian national team. His first appearance was scheduled for the Four Hills Tournament, but coach Goran Janus called him up early, in time for the Engelberg competition.

The competition will take place on Saturday and Sunday, with the qualification round scheduled for Friday. Before departing for Switzerland, Peter Prevc sat down with TV Slovenia’s reporter Polona Bertoncelj.

Your return to World Cup ski jumping competitions has arrived. Your season will kick off in December. Were you eager to compete once again?
No, I wasn’t, because my jumps were not good enough. This was a surprise for me, because my initial plan was to return in time for the Four Hills Tournament. Now, I got the chance to return in time for Engelberg, and I seized the opportunity.

How is your ski jumping form right now? We know that bad weather kept you from practicing this week.
Yes, we had some trouble with the weather, and I’m not sure about my current form. However, off-the-snow training went very well. Everything worked as it was supposed to. Last week, we focused on flexibility and being at ease. I see no reason why I wouldn’t perform well in Engelberg and why my form wouldn’t get even better. I hope that’s the case.

Engelberg suits you as a venue: four competitions, with a fifth place, two second-place finishes, and one first-place finish. Does this give you more encouragement prior to your departure for Switzerland?
At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but now that the competition is getting closer, I have a better feeling of what I’m going to do there. I have less and less fear – and more determination.

Are you nervous before the season’s first competition?
There will certainly be some nervousness – more subconscious that conscious. This won’t be my first World Cup competition, and the entire process is going to be routine. But it will be the first competition of the season, so it will be special that way.