Ski jumping: Dominator Daniel Tschofenig makes surprise equipment switch

Austrian ski jumping dominator Daniel Tschofenig has made a late off‑season equipment change, switching from Augment to Van Deer – Red Bull Sports just weeks before the World Cup opener.

Coming off a breakout campaign in which he won eight individual World Cup competitions, captured the Four Hills Tournament and secured the overall World Cup leader’s yellow bib, Tschofenig had little obvious reason to change. However, he said he wants to “use every optimization opportunity for the Olympic winter,” adding that he feels strong development potential within Van Deer’s setup and is excited to join a team that shares his passion for innovation.

Tschofenig is expected to debut the new skis at Lillehammer: a mixed team event is scheduled for November 21, followed by the men’s first individual competition on November 22.

The move also shines a light on Van Deer, the company founded by alpine legend Marcel Hirscher. Reports surfaced a day earlier that the brand posted around €18 million in losses last year. Despite that, the company announced it had also signed Slovenian top jumper Timi Zajc, signaling an aggressive push into ski jumping equipment.

Hirscher welcomed the additions, saying he is thrilled to have both athletes on board for their quality and mindset.