Anja Tepeš talks to SkiJumpingItaly

Anja Tepeš: (A Bärbel Schulze picture)

Anja Tepeš is not only the sister of Jurij Tepeš or the daughter of Miran - she is a young and promising talent of ski-jumping in Slovenia!

SkiJumpingItaly is proud to have the chance to do a great interview with such a nice and likable lady of Slovenia's national team!

So thank you Anja for taking your time to answer a few questions and give all ski-jumping lovers an insight in your career and goals for the future!

(A Bärbel Schulze picture)

SJI: What made you start ski-jumping and how old have you been when you jumped for the first time?

Anja Tepeš: I chose ski-jumping because of my brother! He started and I wanted to do the same!

SJI: What was the best competition you took part in?

AT: For me best competition in the last few years was always in Ljubno, no matter which result it was. I always felt perfect there because of so many people cheering for us, supporting us there. It's always the best atmosphere for me!

SJI: Which venue or jumping hill do you like most?

AT: There are so many places I like! For example I like Zakopane, Sapporo, Planica/Kranjska Gora, Innsbruck, and maybe also some other I don't remember now. I love to travel and explore new places. But when it comes to the ski-jumping hills I must say that I really like the hill in Szczyrk, Ljubno and Liberec. I think, those are my favorites.

SJI: Do you have a ritual to calm down/prepare yourself before you jump?

AT: I have a ritual, which I'm using especially before competitions. My ritual must always include music and relaxation exercises and in the end activation of the muscles. Then I'm ready for competition!

“My goal is to make this season my best season so far to appear in the team for the Olympics.”

SJI: What are your goals for the future?

AT: My goal is to make this season my best season so far to appear in the team for the Olympics and finish college. After my ski-jumping career I want to become a ski jumping trainer and set up my own ski jumping club.

SJI: What does your training normally look like? Did you already start your preparation?

AT: I started my preparation already in the beginning of April. My training changes from week to week. We need to work hard on our condition all summer to be really good in winter!

SJI: Will you take part in this year’s Summer Grand Prix?

AT: I hope I will but I can't promise anything. This depends on my jumps at the time, when the Grand Prix will be! But I will work hard to come into the team and to be part of it!

“When it comes to ski-jumping I know I can always ask my father or brother for advice or help.”

SJI: How is it to live in a ski-jumping-family? Is this your favorite theme to discuss, when you are together with your dad and brother?

AT: Living in my family is not bad. We are talking about all kind of things, not only ski-jumping. I think we are talking more about school then skijumping, so I think it isn't much different than in other families. But when it comes to ski-jumping I know I can always ask my father or brother for advice or help.

SJI: What are your hobbies/ how do you spend your rare free time?

AT: I like spending time outdoors with my friends doing all kind of sports, internet, taking pictures, travel, learning new languages...

(picture by GEPA)

SJI: What is your opinion on the new jumping-suit? Did you have a chance to test it yet?

AT: I'm not a big fan of the new suit! I didn't test it yet but I think that ski-jumping will become more dangerous because of it. Because there will be more speed, it will be harder to land because of it. And I think on boys these suits will look stupid! They are all so thin and in this suit they will look like ballet dancers. It's crazy. But this is life the rules are changing, the jumpers ramain- you need to find the best way out of it and concentrate on the jumps and not on the equipment.

“I'm a normal girl always ready to talk with anyone.. I want that all fans know that also skijumpers are just people living in this world and we are nothing more than any other person. So you should never be scared to talk with anyone.”

SJI: What would you like the fans to know about you, or do you have a wise word to them – or young jumpers - in general?

AT: I want, that fans take me as I'm. I'm a normal girl, always ready to talk with anyone (after training or competition because before or between we are always in a hurry to prepare for our jumps). I want, that all fans know that also ski-jumpers are just people living in this world and we are nothing more than any other person. So you should never be scared to talk with anyone. And to young jumpers I want to say that they should never lose the love they have to this sport, no matter how good/bad they will be in the future. Because in the end that's all that matters. When you lose your love, you lose motivation and you are not ready to do everything for this sport and because of this, there is nothing else you can do than to finish your career. So dream big and work hard to make your dreams come true!

“Dream big and work hard to make your dreams come true!”

SJI: Who are your idols?

AT: I have many idols in ski-jumping and also out of it!

- Surya Bonaly = because she dared to be different

- Evgeni Plushenko = because he does everything for his fans and you can see, that he really enjoys, what he is doing

- Shaun White = because he knows how to use his fame for a life after the sports-career

- Jurij Tepeš = because he showed me how much you have to work for the sport to reach the top

- Simon Ammann = because he showed that you can stay modest no matter what you achieve in sport

- Janne Happonen = because he proved that you can be beautiful and a good athlete at same time.

SJI: I hope we have you as an active jumper for at least another 10 years –and you probably didn’t think about the time after yet. But just in case you did: Do you want to stick to ski-jumping in a way after your active career -maybe in a role like your dad or as an expert for the media?

AT: As I already said before I want to become a professional trainer for ski-jumping. I want to encourage young girls for jumping and accompany them on their way to success.

So we are waiting to see you in the Summer Grand Prix and wish you all the best for your future!

- Interview by Peggy Kierstan (@pikayartist)

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