Domen Prevc is sticking to his unusual preparation plan. Last season's overall World Cup winner from Slovenia will compete in the Continental Cup in Hinterzarten this coming weekend, a week after the 27-year-old made his first international start of the summer in Stams.
Building rhythm after a long break
Last season Prevc won the overall World Cup, the Four Hills Tournament and Olympic gold. This summer he stayed away from international competition for a long time. Now he is using the Continental Cup to get his rhythm back after that long break and to test his summer work in competition. According to skispringen.com, the field there is smaller than in the Summer Grand Prix, but still strong.
Speaking to the Slovenian sports daily Ekipa, Prevc said the team had decided to travel to Hinterzarten to keep that rhythm going, calling the competitions good training for the winter.
Hill record and podium in Stams
Saturday in Stams got off to a difficult start. A first jump of 96 metres left Prevc in 28th place. In the second round he landed at 121.5 metres, a new hill record, and climbed to 17th.
On Sunday he jumped 113.5 and 112 metres to finish third behind Clemens Aigner and Raffael Zimmermann. That meant Aigner, from Austria, won both competitions in Stams. After the opening weekend, Prevc is sixth in the summer Continental Cup standings with 74 points.
Ski JumpingRaimund edges Wellinger for German title, Reisch wins women's crownEquipment and the second flight phase
Prevc used the summer to make changes to his equipment and also wanted to adjust his jumping style slightly. Shortly after the end of last season, he and ski maker Peter Slatnar started looking at where skis, bindings and boots could still be improved.
The Slovenian said he could hardly wait to fix the elements that are not yet working and to reach the quality he is aiming for, adding that there are still many mistakes and plenty to improve. Even so, he sees his first competition jumps in a positive light. He said he has made progress in the air, where he feels relaxed, but that the speed and height he can carry into the second phase of flight still need work.
What comes next
After Hinterzarten, two more Continental Cup competitions are scheduled in Klingenthal. The Summer Grand Prix, which stopped in Râșnov last weekend, is now on a break until 24 October, and its final stop is also in Klingenthal. The World Cup season opens on 20 November in Lillehammer.
