Lukas Hofer: A high-flyer, in the truest sense of the word

A big challenge awaits Lukas Hofer in 2023. He will compete in the Red Bull X-Alps. The aim is to cross the Alps as quickly as possible by paraglider and on foot. It is no coincidence that Hofer was included in the select starting field. He has already set a world record in “Hike and Fly”. But that is still a long way away, now all his concentration is on “his” sport, biathlon.

Hofer has been one of the world's best biathletes for a decade, but for some inexplicable reason he was not granted an individual Olympic medal in 2022 either. Although he hit all the targets in the pursuit, it was only enough to hit the sheet metal. “It was hard to digest, but I did everything I could. I couldn't influence the rest. “But it’s one more reason to continue until 2026,” says Hofer, looking ahead.

A turbulent summer Overall, it was a turbulent year for the Pusterer from Montal. He decided to join the Swedish team in training, he had surgery on both shoulders and didn't make it through the preparation without a few aches and pains. “The shoulder thing sounds more dramatic than it was. It was a wear and tear on the AC joint, which is a connection between the collarbone and the shoulder joint, not the shoulder itself,” he clarifies. After the first operation on his left shoulder in Zurich at the end of March, he was on vacation with his girlfriend Katharina in Paris and Mauritius. The operation on the right shoulder followed at the end of June, also in Zurich.

Lukas Hofer with his girlfriend Katharina on vacation in Paris.

In between, he completed his first training block with the Swedish national team. Hofer joined the Swedish team – only for training, of course. He has known the Swedish head coach Johannes Lukas for a long time. “We have discussed this possibility before, but before the Olympics was not the right time to experiment. But after the Olympics we sat down to talk about this topic again,” says Hofer.

Learned Swedish After both associations, the Swedish and the Italian, agreed, Hofer took this step. “I'm really glad I was able to have this experience. I was accepted into the team as if I were a Swede,” says Hofer, who has also learned some Swedish. “I understand most of it and can read quite well, but I still have a problem with pronunciation.”

In order to be able to train with the Swedes, Hofer didn't always have to travel to Sweden. The Swedes also trained in Antholz and at Lavazé Joch in the summer. After snow training in Idre, he rejoined the “Azzurri” in Beitostölen, but left early. Tendonitis in his left shin forced him to take a break. Because of this injury he also missed the start of the season in Kontiolahti.

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Lukas Hofer: A high-flyer, in the truest sense of the word

He is currently injured and will miss the start of the season in Kontiolahti. But Lukas Hofer is nevertheless the figurehead of the South Tyrolean biathlon men. However, a lot has happened for him this summer - as far as biathlon is concerned, but not only.

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