Return to the hill: After 28 months, Austrian ski jumper fights for a comeback

Austrian ski jumper Philipp Aschenwald says he is ready to return to the hill after more than two years out with a serious knee injury.

Aschenwald suffered a major crash during training at Innsbruck’s Bergisel in July 2023 that left him with a torn ACL, a partial PCL tear, and a torn lateral meniscus. Despite taking nearly a year for his first rehabilitation, he continued to experience pain after jump sessions. Ongoing problems led to a second surgery on his left knee in January 2025.

Following this renewed rehab, the 30‑year‑old believes his fitness values now satisfy coaches, staff, and doctors. He stresses that this comeback will be more cautious than his first attempt: after previously rushing to return to competition, he now intends to move step by step based on how his knee responds.

Aschenwald plans to take his first jumps back this week in Hinzenbach. If all goes well, he hopes to resume competition in January in the Continental Cup as a pathway to fighting his way back into the World Cup squad. He adds that motivation to be back on a hill is high after months confined largely to the gym, and he still wants to jump for several more seasons.