Pinkelnig reveals:

“Strolz was my very first boss back then”

Ski jumper Eva Pinkelnig and Olympic combined champion Johannes Strolz have more than just their origins in common.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA Pictures)

Before ski jumper Eva Pinkelnig continues with the World Cup competition in Engelberg (Sz) on Saturday and ski ace Johannes Strolz fights for World Cup points again in the slalom in Alta Badia on Monday, the two winter sports greats met up for a chat at their joint mobility partner Audi.

You both grew up and are at home in Vorarlberg, have experienced incredible highs and lows as professional athletes - what else do you have in common?
Eva Pinkelnig: Joint training sessions at the Olympic Center in Dornbirn and, what probably few people know, my dad. Hubert Strolz was my first boss. I was a ski instructor at the Warth am Arlberg ski school for a few seasons and loved passing on my enthusiasm for skiing to the children.
Johannes Strolz: Our careers are both very special and extraordinary. What we have in common is our late breakthrough and, generally speaking, our great passion for winter sports.

Family of Olympic champions: Hubert and Johannes Strolz.

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

Your careers have been anything but smooth. You were slowed down by very serious injuries or the loss of squad membership - how difficult are such setbacks to cope with mentally? What kept you coming back?
Strolz: I tried to focus on what is original and essential for me - and that is clearly my passion for the sport itself and ski racing in particular. When you seem so far away from the big goals that you can no longer really see and perceive them, you have to focus on the fundamental things.
Pinkelnig: Setbacks are part of life, but life-threatening injuries like the ruptured spleen in my case were quite something. I was able to cope with it thanks to my very good support system, which helped me to overcome this mental challenge. What keeps me coming back is the inner fire, the passion for movement, for ski jumping and the joy I have when I can fly through the air.

Ski jumper Eva Pinkelnig and ski ace Johannes Strolz in conversation.

(Bild: Agentur LOOP New Media GmbH)

What can you learn from your counterpart?
Pinkelnig: His perseverance and his meticulous way of working. Years ago, I copied the training diary from Johannes, which I still keep today. What particularly impresses me is that the Olympic victories have not changed the down-to-earth attitude, honesty and values of father and son. That's very rare in today's world, so chapeau to both of them.
Strolz: A lot! The positivism and energy she radiates is totally inspiring. When I talk to Eva, I always notice a lot of honesty. I also really appreciate that about her

What Strolz appreciates about Pinkelnig is her positive manner and the energy she radiates.

(Bild: EXPA Pictures/JFK)

How interested are you in other sports, who or what are you fans of? 
Strolz : I've been following American football very closely for many years. Every season is incredibly exciting and the game itself is incredibly fascinating. The tactics and strategy, the individual moves, the different types and characters, or the history of the teams and individual players in general - I simply love it.
Pinkelnig: I'm interested in all winter sports, from alpine skiing to biathlon, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. What's more, King Football has played a big role in my life from a young age. I am a huge fan of FC Bayern Munich.

For Audi, Vorsprung durch Technik is an absolute maxim, to what extent was and is this approach true for your sporting development?Pinkelnig: Vorsprung durch Technik is also absolutely essential in my sporting life, be it athletic technique, ski jumping technique or the technical aspect of the equipment. Like Audi, I'm happy to have a really good team around me, who support me optimally with their expertise and make a relaxed performance possible.
Strolz: Vorsprung durch Technik also hits the nail right on the head for us Alpine skiers. If you gain an advantage in the technical area, i.e. in terms of equipment, it gives you a certain amount of leeway. It's easier to attack in a competition situation, which is a huge advantage. The basic prerequisite for success is to be technically good on the skis, otherwise it doesn't work.

Which milestones in the further development of your sport would you consider revolutionary?
Strolz: Definitely the invention of carving skis. We have become much faster in the turns and have been able to ski much tighter radii. Carving itself, with the ends of the skis following the tips of the skis in a line through the turn, has taken the sport to a whole new level.
Pinkelnig: The development of the V-style was of course revolutionary, as was the awarding of the highest marks for the first time, i.e. 20.0 five times, as well as Ryōyū Kobayashi's 291-metre record flight, which broadened the horizon even further. He has shown that 300 meters and more are possible in the future. I'm really looking forward to experiencing that.

You are still in full sporting swing in Switzerland and Italy just before Christmas, when does it get contemplative and what do you wish for from Santa Claus?
Pinkelnig : For me, it doesn't just get contemplative around Christmas, but every now and then throughout the year. Christmas is a celebration of love and I consider myself lucky that I can experience moments like this throughout the year, when I reflect on what really matters in life. We don't give presents at Christmas, we donate money to people who need it more than we do. When we weren't doing so well as a family, we were also helped. Being able to give that back now is exactly what Christmas is all about.
Strolz: December 24th will be the first day where I can get some peace and quiet, spend time with my family and be more reflective. I wish for good health for my family, everything else will work out somehow.