“Ski jumpers deserve best possible places of work”, Peter Riedel says

Peter Riedel, the world cup series of the male and female ski jumpers and of Nordic combined have started lately – how do you observe these series as an expert in this field?
“With extreme interest, of course. I grew up in a successful family of athletes, which is why I generally grew up with sports. My work in the construction of ski jumps, specifically: in the realization and further development of inruns and inrun systems involves that I am more than just a fan when I see the athletes jumping off the ski jump. I admire them and their aesthetic appearance and I don`t just consider myself also working for them but above all working in their service.”
Ski jumping has turned into a year-round sport. The Grand Prix is hardly over when the winter season already starts. And in the meantime, the athletes are supposed to exercise and adapt – as the inruns are not the same in summer and winter either…
“Well, I am definitely the wrong man to answer the question whether the athletes jump too often or too few… What I definitely know – and what also complies with the intention of Peter Riedel GmbH and its partner REHAU – is that I want to offer the ski jumpers best possible places of work. I want them to be able to exercise on ski jumps with conditions that permit clean and safe action. For this purpose, we cooperate closely with the International Ski Federation, the national ski federations and the local organizations. After all, we must never forget who we are supporting: they are the main actors – the male and female jumpers! I am proud that we have gained a good reputation with our inrun systems and that it is very easy for ski jump operators to change over from summer to winter season.”
To put it slightly provocative – aren`t there too many ski jumps in the world?
“Ski jumping is a great, fascinating sport, is an essential main event in winter, attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators to the stadiums and millions in front of the TV. This also makes ski jumping a business and in business the strict rule of supply and demand still applies. But at this point, I would like to go a little more into detail. Considering the number of ski jumps, we must not only take into account the jumps hosting a World Cup or a Continental Cup. The young athletes need jumps and this does not include K120 or K90 facilities. It includes K60, K40, K20, and even smaller. Our mobile K4 facility complies with FIS and TÜV standards and offers the taller and smaller interested juniors the possibility to jump themselves! In 2013, we will support the construction of three junior jumps in Montafon, Austria. For this reason: There cannot be too many jumps – as ski jumping will always be an issue as long as there are ski jumpers. And the FIS racing director Walter Hofer himself says: ski jumping is now more popular than ever!”
You have installed inruns at prominent jump facilities, for example in Trondheim, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Chaykovsky, Hinzenbach, Chaux-Neuve. How much percent of the market do you own? And which projects have you planned for 2013?
“I don`t like talking about market shares. We must not forget that we are working in a market niche. Of course - there are ski jumps everywhere, but many of them do not require upgrading or do not want to be upgraded. Others don`t have the financial means and others have planned upgrading in a few years from now. That is why it is a day by day business. I pass the world of ski jumping attentively, knowing well that I am not the only one.  There are competitors who know their craft as well. And for this reason, my principle is that I do not speak about an order before it is home and dry.”
Anyway it seems that you will get the chance during the upgrading of the Fichtelbergschanze (Fichtelberg jump) close to your native region in Oberwiesenthal…
“…and the omens are really favourable. If this should actually happen, this project will be without fail my most emotional one. Because working in my native region is always a matter that is near to my heart!”
Thank you very much for the interview and good luck for the winter season of 2012/13!

During the Four Hills Tournament, read:
Peter Riedel and his prestige project Garmisch-Partenkirchen