In our series "FIS Ski Jumping-Talk" we present interviews with ski jumping atheltes and officials. Today: Markus Eisenbichler (24), German ski jumper.

Markus Eisenbichler from Siegsdorf in Bavaria made his debut in the World Cup in December 2011. Last winter he was on the German World Cup team constantly and was a member of the winning team at the World Cup opening in Klingenthal. He finished in the Top 10 eight times and was 15th in the overall World Cup.

FIS Ski Jumping: Hello Markus, did you already have time for a vacation after the last season ended?

Markus Eisenbichler: No, not yet. I'm currently training to be a police officer.

FIS Ski Jumping: Will you still have a few days off this summer?

Eisenbichler: We will have a week off again late August, then I'll take a trip to the sea. You have to stay in shape there as well, but there are plenty of possibilities in the hotel.

FIS Ski Jumping: Let's look back on last season. It was your first full World Cup season. How would you sum it up?

Eisenbichler: It was better than expected. I never would have thought that I can keep up on this level and that I'll be on the team until the end. It was great how it went.

FIS Ski Jumping: What was your personal highlight?

Eisenbichler: Taking part in the World Championships. It's good to know that you are one of the five best ski jumpers of your country and can participate in such a major event. It was my goal and it was the icing on the cake last season.

FIS Ski Jumping: All in all it was a very successful season for German ski jumping, especially for Severin Freund of course. It's often said that ski jumping is an individual sport. How happy are you if a teammate can win so many titles?

Eisenbichler: We were all extremely happy. We have a really good dynamic in the team and everybody is happy for for another. It was incredible that Severin could win the overall World Cup title at the end.

FIS Ski Jumping: How important is the Nation's Cup for you?

Eisenbichler: It was a goal that we, the athletes and coaches, have set for us. We didn't want it to be that exciting at the end, but it was enough.

FIS Ski Jumping: There are a lot of good young athletes in Norway or Slovenia. How do you see the situation in Germany, compared to these countries?

Eisenbichler: I think we also have many talents, Andreas Wellinger is a good example for that. Every year athletes with a lot of potential are coming up in the C-team. We did a good job in order to prevent another dry spell.

FIS Ski Jumping: Is there more competition within the team because of the strong young athletes?

Eisenbichler: I don't really worry about that. I have to focus on myself and show good performances. Then it'll work.

FIS Ski Jumping: Last year you earned your spot on the World Cup team with good results in the Grand Prix and also in the Continental Cup. How important will this summer be for you? Are you looking forward to the Grand Prix?

Eisenbichler: The summer is always important. It's about laying the foundation and get on a certain level. There's a lot of testing. The goal is to be in a shape in summer that allows you to get in top shape in winter, even if you can't always plan it. I'm looking forward to the Grand Prix. Wisla is always pretty cool with a lot of spectators. And it's especially nice that Hinterzarten is on the calendar again.

FIS Ski Jumping: What are you looking forward to the most next season?

Eisenbichler: The Ski Flying World Championships at the Kulm. I definitely want to compete there. I already liked the hill a lot last year.

FIS Ski Jumping: Do you have a favorite hill?

Eisenbichler: I really like Klingenthal and I learnt to love Vikersund as well.

FIS Ski Jumping: Vikersund is very special, not many jumpers can do really well on this hill. What's the secret?

Eisenbichler: That's what makes it interesting. You realize that when you have a good jump you can fly 30 or 40 meters longer. That's special, even among the flying hills. I haven't been ski flying often enough to have a real secret of success, you just have to approach the limit, risk a lot and have a lot of speed over the knoll. You could also see that in the record jumps of Prevc and Fannemel.

FIS Ski Jumping: Werner Schuster has extended his contract and will continue to work with the German Ski Association. You have probably been working with many coaches during your career. What characterizes him?

Eisenbichler: He is very determined. He knows what he wants and also what he expects from the athletes. He works on that with every athlete in order make progress. This is what characterizes him. And he is also not letting you down when it's not going so well. Over the years he changed the system, this was decisive. Also for me, when I was a younger jumper in the C-Team. We all really benefited from that.

FIS Ski Jumping: What will the next weeks look like in training?

Eisenbichler: As I mentioned already, I'll be in police training during the week, and there's ski jumping training. On the weekend we then try to go somewhere where we can jump. So far everything is going according to plan.

FIS Ski Jumping: Last question: What headline would you like to read about yourself next season?

Eisenbichler: "Eisenbichler is on the podium."

FIS Ski Jumping: Then we cross our fingers and wish you lots of success for this preparation period. 

Source: fis-ski.com