Kristjan Ilves, the best Nordic combined athlete from Estonia, recently took part in training jumps on a large hill competition over the weekend. He performed consistently well, finishing in the top ten in all rounds, with results ranging from 3rd to 6th place on Sunday and 6th to 9th place on Monday. Despite his achievements, Ilves expressed that he is still adapting to the larger hill, which is flatter compared to smaller hills where he usually competes.

In a statement to ERR, Ilves acknowledged the challenges he faced during the jumps, especially regarding his take-off technique. He mentioned that he has not yet found the optimal position for his jumps and has struggled to create the right pressure point with his feet to initiate his take-off properly. He described his jumps as being somewhat hindered as he felt his hip was interfering with his flight. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic, stating that he hopes to extract better performance in the upcoming jumps.

Ilves' remarks highlight the difficulties athletes can face when transitioning to different hill sizes in ski jumping. His experience underscores the importance of adaptability and technique in the sport, which can impact performance significantly. As he continues to adjust, Ilves aims to overcome these hurdles and improve his results.