Daniel Tschofenig thanks teammates after being named Austria's sportsman of the year
Oct 10, 2025·Ski Jumping)
Having conquered all in the 2024-25 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Daniel Tschofenig received the NIKI award as Austria’s top sportsman on October 8.
Tschofenig, who won the Four Hills Tournament and the overall World Cup title, was voted his country’s top male sports performer by the sports journalists’ association Sports Media Austria. Second place went to golfer Sepp Straka, with Alpine Ski Giant Slalom world champion Raphael Haaser third.
The NIKI award is named in honor of F1 motor racing legend Niki Lauda, with the ceremony held at the Lotteries Sports Aid Gala in the Vienna Town Hall.
"I am very happy about this award. It is a great honor, considering there are so many great athletes in our country,” said Tschofenig. “To be honest, I didn't expect it as I was pretty sure it would go to my colleague (Haaser) from the Alpine team. It's really cool to be able to take this home. For a season that was so full of success, it's obviously fantastic."
The 23-year-old took victory at Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) and Bischofshofen (AUT) to claim Austria’s first Four Hills Tournament triumph in a decade. He actually led an Austrian 1-2-3 in the competition with Jan Hörl second ahead of Stefan Kraft, who won Austria’s last title in 2014-15.
The trio finished in the same order in the overall World Cup standings with Tschofenig never headed after his Garmisch-Partenkirchen triumph. They also teamed up with Maximilian Ortner to take men’s team silver at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim (NOR). And he was quick to thank his teammates for the part they played in his achievements.
It was a great night for Ski Austria as the women’s NIKI went to Alpine Ski Super G world champion Stephanie Venier. Victory on home snow in Saalbach was the highlight of her career, with the 31-year-old announcing her retirement in August following persistent knee injuries.
That success no doubt played its part in the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach being named Austria’s most emotional sporting moment of the year.
)
