Ski jumping coach Rune Velta – on to new heights thanks to the “Norwegian handwriting”? – Sports

The former Norwegian ski jumper Rune Velta is supposed to lead the Swiss back to success after a difficult season.

After Swiss-Ski announced the departure of Ronny Hornschuh as coach of the Swiss ski jumpers in February, the association surprised in May with the successor solution: Rune Velta took over the position of the German who had looked after Simon Ammann and Co. for 8 years.

Since retiring as an athlete in the summer of 2016, Velta has worked as a sports scientist for the Norwegian Ski Association, as a base trainer and sports director for ski jumping & Nordic combined at a sports high school in Oslo. He definitely has the tools for a coaching career – even at only 34 years old.

This makes Velta a full eight years younger than team senior Simon Ammann. A special challenge for the young trainer? «No, it’s not difficult. It is very valuable to have Simon on the team. He brings a lot of experience and is good at sharing it,” said the Norwegian, who describes himself as a “not very loud” coach.

Ammann speaks of a “new flight philosophy”

Velta does not have a palmarès as richly stocked as the Toggenburger. But he also celebrated great success during his active days. His career highlight was at the 2015 World Cup in Falun. He became world champion on the normal hill, won bronze on the large hill and also silver with the mixed team. In 2012, the two-time World Cup winner also won World Cup silver in ski flying.

And what does Ammann think about the situation with the new coach? The 42-year-old believes that it is quite unusual for an older jumper with a lot of experience to be coached by a younger trainer, but: “What I liked from the start is that Velta came with a clear idea,” says Ammann.

The Toggenburger speaks of a new flying philosophy, which was the main focus of the preparation. In the past there have always been deficiencies in the flight sector. Neither he nor the team have made any significant progress in this regard. “To advance this area is the clear, somewhat Norwegian signature that has come into it. “It was almost a little overdue,” said the 23-time World Cup winner.

The new ski jumping season starts on the last weekend in November in Kuusamo.