Ski jumper Ipcioglu: “Follow the flying Turk!”

Ever since the Turk Fatih Arda Ipcioglu got the first World Cup points for his country, he has been the secret star of the Four Hills Tournament. In his homeland, however, he is hardly known.

Fatih Arda Ipcioglu is the secret little star of the Four Hills Tournament. The smart, young Turk scored World Cup points for his country in a ski jumping event for the first time. “The Turks are coming,” said the 24-year-old with great enthusiasm ARD-Interview said. Because up until now they have hardly played a role in international winter sports. And ski jumping is not really popular in Turkey. Ipcioglu wants to change that.

“Fatih Arda Ipcioglu takes his place in history as the first national athlete to jump in the Four Hills Tournament. With an ascent rate of 92.5, Fatih Arda Ipcioglu has struggled a lot with the wind, but it’s a pretty good jump off Fatih Arda Ipcioglu. A good jump came from Fatih Arda Ipcioglu. Although he struggled a lot with the wind, Fatih Arda Ipcioglu found the calculation line “- the presenter on Turkish television can hardly believe it: the young Turk Fatih Arda jumps 120 meters Ipcioglu in a knockout duel. A moment of concern, then it is clear: further than its competitor.

The moderator congratulates him on the first World Cup points in ski jumping for a Turk. And Ipcioglu carry the emotions away: “These World Cup points aroused great interest in ski jumping at home, I can really feel that.”

Hardly any response in local media

But not with the general public and the media. The message from the Turkish ski jumping fairy tale lands far behind the currency and corona crisis. The type of sport and winter sports themselves do not have the same status in Turkey as they do in Germany. That already shows the medal balance at the Olympic Winter Games.

“Winter disciplines don’t play a role in Turkey, we haven’t won any Olympic medals here”, Ipcioglu regrets, “But why shouldn’t that happen? Why not the first in ski jumping?” he dreams in an interview with Turkish television before the Four Hills Tournament. He’s already been at the games – in 2018, when he was even allowed to carry the Turkish flag. And he is also qualified for 2022.

His trainer Nejc Frank says that Arda can work hard: “Only sometimes he asks too much and sometimes he gets tired quickly. Then I have to push him a little harder. But when I explain everything to him, why he does some things well and some not so does well, then he sleeps on it and understands it. “

Grew up in the only ski area in Turkey

Fatih Arda Ipcioglu grows up in Erzurum, in the very north-east of Turkey, the only winter sports stronghold. His father has a carpet business there. At nine he jumps off a ski jump for the first time. He skied for the first time three years earlier, he said in an interview: “When we were little, my sister and I went skiing with my father on the weekends. For the 2011 International University Winter Games, facilities were built in Erzurum. Before that, we trained on ski jumping hills abroad.

The 24-year-old qualified for the Four Hills Tournament with a teammate. When it comes to success, he never speaks only of himself: “When we started ski jumping, we saw the ones we are competing against here, world and Olympic champions, on television. They were our role models. Now they are our rivals. When they congratulate us, that motivates us. “

Hope for a next generation

He is well aware that he wrote Turkish sports history with his little four-hill fairy tale in the Alps. But what is even more important to him is the view of the next generation in ski jumping: “We also want to inspire future athletes. I am very happy that I can inspire young people and new athletes so much and hope that they will then represent our country even more strongly in ski jumping will.”

Even if the Four Hills Tournament is relatively unknown in Turkey, a few more good jumps in the next few days would certainly help. And then the likable young man with the dark, thick hair adds: “Follow the flying Turk!” Next chance: at the New Year’s competition in Garmisch.