Only a few days before the start of the new season, the Austrian national team around head coach Heinz Kuttin traveled to Cyprus for a week to recharge the batteries.

For Gregor Schlierenzauer this is a very good way to get ready for the winter. "I'm a fan of going to a warm place before we travel to the colder spots. Here you can really relax again and clear your mind of all the ski jumping related issues. After that everything is just about the sport for four months anyway."

Andreas Kofler also sees this trip to the South very positive. "In order to be successful in ski jumping, you need to enjoy yourself and feel comfortable in every aspect. Heinz Kuttin and the coaching staff are doing a great job here. The training is very diverse and the team spirit that we have here gives every athlete additional energy and makes it fun."

Of course it's not only about fun in Cyprus, the team also works on the physical fitness in the gym there. Besides these training sessions the athletes are active in other sports like stand up paddling, beach volleyball, archery, bocce and soccer. "There are so many activities offered here. Stand up paddling was a totally new experience for me. It was really cool to surf the small waves, even if I maybe didn't perform that well all the time", said Stefan Kraft.

The athletes obviously enjoy their time in Cyprus, and also the coaches are satisfied. Assistant coach Alexander Diess points out the positive effects of such a training camp before the winter really starts. "We have made very positive experiences with soaking up the sun before the season in the past already. The strength values of the athletes always improve after such camps. In addition it's important for us that the athletes recharge their batteries mentally and physically before they start the season. It's always positively surprising to me to see the effects the sun and the relaxed atmosphere have on the jumpers."