Maximilian Gartner is looking forward to his first appearance among the big names. © Private

A teenager from Val Gardena and his debut at Bergisel

When the Four Hills Tournament stops in Innsbruck, a spectacular event is always guaranteed. Right in the thick of it this year will be a teenager from Val Gardena, making his debut among the elite on the Bergisel ski jump.

02 January 2026

From: det

This weekend, it's that time again: the Bergisel ski jumping competition, one of the major highlights of the ski jumping season, is on the program. For a young South Tyrolean, a dream will come true in Innsbruck: 18-year-old Maximilian Gartner will make his World Cup debut on the legendary ski jump.

“The anticipation is huge,” Gartner told SportNews. Shortly before the New Year, on December 30th, the Val Gardena native learned that the coaches were giving him this opportunity. A chance Gartner earned through strong performances in the Continental Cup and at the Italian Championships. "I'll be jumping in the qualification round on Saturday (2:30 p.m., editor's note). My goal is to perform to my full potential. Making it through the qualification round would be fantastic," said the teenager.

Maximilian Gartner in action. © private

Should he actually clear the qualifying hurdle, Gartner would be competing in front of a packed crowd at the big Bergisel ski jumping event on Sunday. It's already confirmed that he will also be jumping at the final event of the Four Hills Tournament in Bischofshofen (January 5th/6th).

Famous relatives and big goals

Maximilian Gartner comes from Überwasser, one of the three Val Gardena villages in Kastelruth. His mother is the cousin of Silvia Bertagna, who was once a world-class freestyle skier. Gartner started ski jumping at the age of eight, and – as with almost all Val Gardena ski jumpers – the coaching guru Romed Moroder played a major role. "I am very grateful to him; he still coaches me today," says Gartner.

"I want to become the best ski jumper in the world." Maximilian Gartner

At the age of 14, the Val Gardena native decided to attend the ski academy in Stams, Austria. This year he will graduate from this renowned sports school. His goals for the future? "I want to become the best ski jumper in the world," Gartner dreams of great things.

Is the Olympics a topic?

But first up are his first World Cup appearances – and if he proves himself here, then the Olympic Games in a month could even become a possibility. "Right now, I'm just looking forward to being there for these two World Cup jumps," said Maximilian Gartner.

Maximilian Gartner is looking forward to his debut.

Incidentally, he's not the only South Tyrolean competing in the qualifying round in Innsbruck on Saturday starting at 2:30 pm. Regular competitor Alex Insam from Wolkenstein will also be there.