Slovenian ski jumper Domen Prevc took second place in Innsbruck, narrowly missing victory but maintaining a clear lead in the Vierschanzentournee. With a 41.4-point advantage, the overall win seems within reach ahead of the final jump in Bischofshofen. His success stems from a more mature technique after early risky years.
Domen Prevc, the 26-year-old Slovenian, has dominated the 74th Vierschanzentournee. After wins in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, he led at halftime with a clear margin – the first since Janne Ahonen in 2004/2005. In Innsbruck, he struggled in qualifying to 30th due to strong wind but recovered on Sunday before 21,125 spectators.
Ren Nikaidō from Japan won the jump with a 0.5-point lead over Prevc. Nonetheless, Prevc extended his overall lead to 41.4 points, equivalent to about 25 meters. The final event in Bischofshofen starts Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Early on, Prevc was a prodigy with 'Kamikaze' jumps, as shown in a YouTube video with over 500,000 views. His brother Peter once called him 'a bit Kamikaze, but still alive.' At 17, he won his first World Cup, but suffered inconsistency. 'I had some dark years,' Prevc said.
Today, he jumps more controlled. National coach Stefan Horngacher praises his 'long, fluid takeoff.' Prevc stabilizes quickly in the air, brings skis closer to the body, and ties shoes looser for better wind adjustment. Former tour winner Sven Hannawald explains: 'The loose heel in the shoe allows him to shift the suit's area in the air to fly much more effectively.'
German jumper Felix Hoffmann: 'Copying anything is not possible, he's very individual.' Prevc comes from a ski jumping family; brother Peter won the tournee, sister Nika dominates women's events. As Olympic favorite, he plans to compete in mixed with Nika.
After Innsbruck, Prevc admitted: 'I was a bit nervous today.' He struggled uphill but lacked speed. Now he wants to 'enjoy it like when I was a child.'
