What does the term “home” mean to an overall World Cup winner and repeated World Champion in ski jumping/ski flying? Are the sites of his athletic successes – in this case, the ski jumps and flying hills of this world – his home, or is home the place where one’s own four walls offer shelter? Can a 19 year-old who has already seen the whole world even begin to fathom this term? Gregor Schlierenzauer, despite his youth one of the greatest sports stars of the Alpine republic, leaves no doubt when answering these questions: “For me the Stubai Valley is home! But with that I mean not only the spatial component. Home means the familiar surroundings, the wonderful landscape, but above all also the place where my family and friends are!”
Whereas it cannot go fast enough for others in this age when it concerns spreading their wings and leaving the parental nest, the star experiences this feeling in a different way. Garnering the status of chief pilot amongst the high flyers from all over the world already necessitates boundless discipline and the most rigorous work. Once victorious, the sphere of activity is mercilessly expanded. Running cameras, a flurry of camera flashes, countless mikes as well as fans, autograph hunters and also gobbling up miles while travelling around the globe — factors which badger the champion and debilitate battery power. “Coming home after a long trip is the greatest for me. Here I find the time and the prerequisites for relaxing and getting away from it all.” It is logical that the breaks are oriented towards the season. Once the season is underway, there are only short pit stops in the home town of Fulpmes. Once the pursuit of points and title is concluded, longer rest periods at home are on the agenda. One way or the other: once the house door clicks shut, the hectic world of top-class sport is ignored!
“Well, not entirely”, formulates Gregor in veto, “after all, as a top-class athlete you have to do your homework, whether this is in terms of sports or working with fans!” Family teamwork is the order of the day with regard to the latter: “Of course, I always try to answer fan mail personally, but sometimes this is simply not possible. My parents and my sister help me to the best of their ability!” Every now and then a “protective shield” to rebound excessively stressful things during the resting stage is also required.
This is a clearly defined task for Markus Prock, who as a former highly successful “Luge Terminator”, is not only on a first-name basis with God, the press world and all others, but is also a smooth customer in the realm of marketing and public relations. For one thing, the necessary fitness is amongst the mentioned “homework” which is supposed to once again help him to master the competition in a new season.
“Resting is good, but too much is also not healthy for me. Then it delays me”, says the top-class athlete, who subsequently mutates into the Ambassador of the Stubai Valley without any embarrassment.
“Enjoying the wonderful nature and the landscape right on the doorstep is a focal point of my life. It is a pleasure to have roots in an area where many people can merely spend their holiday. There is no pressure for me when skiing, logically after the season, when hiking or mountain biking!” Being recognised and spoken to in the quiet of nature on account of the omnipresence in the media is not a problem for him.
“If everything remains within reason I am happy if people recognise me. This is part of it. I would never have come so far without the help of many who live here in the valley. So if there is a possibility to give something back to my homeland and those who support me through my notoriety, I will gladly do this.”

No Space to hang out

So where is the bottom line for the top-class athlete: the family man who comes across as the well-behaved son at home and is not noted for any spectacular actions, the always good-humoured public relations worker in the service of the homeland? Where is beginning of a small vice here? Where is the little devil that now and then stirs up the world of the 19
year-old, at least in the basic approach? There that smile appears in the face, which on the one hand makes him a teen heartthrob, but on the other hand clearly signalises that a genuine role model can sometimes also be a genuine rascal. The anticipated statement remains unspoken – but one also understands it like this: whoever poses athletic tasks for themselves and also has major projects such as the Olympic Games in their sights also has to move in a leisure time realm where there is practically no space to “hang out”, “chill out” or “snap”.

    

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