“Dark Places”: How a ski jumping star fought for his life

A victory and a podium finish at the season opener in Wisla, Poland mean the lead in the overall World Cup - the snapshot could hardly be more beautiful for Eva Pinkelnig. The 34-year-old has had to overcome a long and rocky road.

At the age of 24, Pinkelnig first appeared on the radar of the ski jumping scene. The Austrian, who was previously at home in alpine skiing, immediately impressed with strong results. However, on her way up she was suddenly slowed down.

In 2016, Pinkelnig had two serious falls within a few weeks and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. Her brain remained swollen for a dangerously long time, neurological problems occurred, and her eyes no longer functioned due to the high speeds on the take-off table. Doctors even found signs of Alzheimer's. “At 60 km/h my eyes shut down. You can’t have that if you’re racing towards the take-off table at 90 km/h and can’t see anything.” Eva Pinkelnig “At 60 km/h my eyes shut down. You can't have that if you're racing towards the take-off table at 90 km/h and you can't see anything," she said Tagesspiegel quoted. “There were signs of Alzheimer’s,” Pinkelnig continued, “my brain had structures that someone my age shouldn’t have.”

Peeing was already written off But Pinkelnig revealed her fighting nature, bit back and celebrated her greatest successes to date. In 2019 she won World Cup silver in the team and mixed team before she also reached the top of the World Cup. The Austrian was unstoppable in Sapporo and Yamagata in January 2020, and Pinkelnig celebrated three World Cup victories.

But at the end of the year she suffered the next serious setback. In December 2020, the ÖSV Adler fell badly in Seefeld and suffered a ruptured spleen. As a result, she lost about a liter of blood and had to undergo emergency surgery. “The spleen had actually already bled out. This then becomes dangerous because the body stops its life-sustaining functions. Many people bled to death and died as a result,” she said Courier about their fight for survival. Eva Pinkelnig (l.) celebrates team silver. © APA / BARBARA GINDL

She herself was “in very dark places” back then. By this point, everyone had already written her off. “There was no one in the Austrian Ski Association who still believed in me.” But just a few weeks later she was back on skis and tackling her next comeback. A possible resignation was never an issue for her: “I clearly felt both times: Yes, I can make it back again.”

Around two years later, she refuted the doubts. On November 6th in Wisla, Pinkelnig grabbed her fourth World Cup victory and is hailing from the top of the overall rankings. The current peak of her career makes her “very emotional. I just enjoy being physically and mentally healthy.”

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“Dark Places”: How a ski jumping star fought for his life

Three serious falls once took her “to very dark places” – Eva Pinkelnig is now competing for World Cup victories again. Emotional insights from a ski jumping star who had to fight for his survival two years ago.

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