By Jack Burden

RECETTO, Italy — If the early rounds are any indication, the 2025 World Championships are on course to turn into a full-blown jump fest.

The headline act of the opening days belonged to Brandon Schipper, who delivered the performance of his life under unlikely circumstances. Landing in Italy at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the hulking Minnesotan skipped familiarization, strapped on his skis, and unleashed the three biggest jumps of his career. His best — 67.1 meters (220 feet) — was an eight-foot personal best that should all but secure him a spot in Sunday’s finals.

“I knew I had it in me,” Schipper said afterward, still buzzing from adrenaline. “But man, it’s so hard to stay calm at Worlds when you PB on your first jump.”

The 29-year-old, a CrossFit competitor off the water, has built a reputation for peaking when the lights are brightest. At the 2023 Worlds, he also reached the finals with a personal best. But this was another level.

Announcer Glen Williams could hardly believe what he was watching:

“Brandon Schipper just keeps spanking off big jump after big jump — the big man, it’s a herculean effort. Off a 10-hour flight, no famil, straight out there and over 66 meters on his first go. That 220-foot jump, that’s phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.”

Schipper wasn’t the only one flying. Of the 40 jumpers from series three and above, more than 60% posted season-bests — most of them all-time personal bests. Over 80% finished within a meter or better of their season’s best.

Strong performances at Worlds aren’t unusual; skiers spend years tailoring their training cycles to peak on this stage. But this sheer volume of PBs points to something more: near-perfect conditions and a towboat setup dialed in for distance.

“I’ve heard from a bunch of the guys — they say that Ski Nautique feels so dialed, super strong,” said announcer Zane Nicholson. “And with this lake being as perfect as it is, everything’s just set up for huge scores.”

Another breakout story belonged to Tim Wild, who cleared 60 meters for the first time just last weekend at the U21 Europeans. In Recetto, he smashed that mark again — flying 65.2 meters.

Jo Nakamura added a new Japanese national record, while Jake Abelson logged a two-meter PB to cement his rising status in men’s overall.

The slight tailwind that lingered through much of the day offered no artificial advantage, making the distances all the more impressive. And for Schipper — all drawn-out vowels, clipped consonants, and that unmistakable Upper Midwest hockey-bro cadence — the post-jump euphoria was impossible to miss.

“Ooooooh, oh my gosh, braaaah, let’s goooo! Holy buckets, dude,” he gushed after watching the replay of his longest jump.

With the sport’s biggest names still waiting in the wings, Wednesday felt less like a warmup than a warning shot.

This isn’t a routine Worlds performance lift. This feels like a signal for takeoff.

If the early rounds are a preview, Recetto may be about to host one of the greatest displays of jumping in World Championships history.

The World Championships run from August 26-31 and will be broadcast live on TWBC.