With the “Two Nights Tour” the ski jumpers have a kind of Four Hills Tournament light this year. After the start, the German team fluctuates between gratitude and setbacks and is now hoping for the New Year’s competition.
With black, red and gold stripes on her gloves, Juliane Seyfarth grasps the beam again and tilts her head slightly back. Then the traffic light turns green, the woman with start number one slips off the bar and goes into the lane. Seyfahrtth writes history – with the first jump of the “Two Nights Tour” and the first competitive jump for a ski jumper on the ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“I hadn’t even thought about that.”, says the German jumper later. And perhaps also because for Seyfarth and her teammates this Saturday is about more than history. The ski jumpers want to deliver. “It was neat, but not good”says Seyfarth. She talks about her jumps, but could also be describing the start of the “Two Nights Tour”.
“Two Nights Tour” as Four Hills Tournament light?
The event, which has two tour stops for the female jumpers instead of the usual four for the men, begins with sobering results for the German team – only two German jumpers, Luisa Görlich in tenth place and Katharina Schmid in twelfth, make it into the top 20 . The fact that they are often more than just a ski length away from the top jumpers such as World Cup leader Josephine Pagnier from France, the Norwegian Eirin Maria Kvandal or the winner in Garmisch, Nika Prevc, does not make the start of the “Two Nights Tour”. easier.
The assessment of the competitions in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on New Year’s Day in Oberstdorf also fluctuates between emancipatory achievement and Four Hills Tournament light. “It feels nice to jump here”, Schmid tries to find conciliatory words. She’s not the only one.
“Grateful” also for 3,500 fans
In the icy run-off of the Great Olympic Ski Jump, one word comes up again and again: gratitude. “We are very grateful to the German organizers for putting in so much effort and allowing us to do this.”says Seyfarth. And Schmid hopes that the jumpers will come back next year “may”: “We are very happy and grateful that we now have a start with the ‘Two Nights Tour’.” A start, but not yet a Four Hills Tournament.
The second competition will take place on January 1st in Oberstdorf. The ski jumpers are also making history with the New Year’s jump. “I’m just incredibly happy to be able to jump at home”says Schmid, “to be allowed”. And thus adds a very personal chapter to the historiography. About their home game. And the dream of the really big backdrop.
“It would of course be cool to jump in front of such a huge audience”she says, looking at the over 20,000 fans who frenetically celebrated Andreas Wellinger’s victory in Oberstdorf. “But over 3,000 spectators – that’s something for us. And who knows, maybe there will be more in the next few years.”
The next chapter?
While teammate Freitag would have liked more fan interest, Schmid’s eyes are already on Oberstdorf. Well over 3,500 fans are expected here. Schmid has recently left it open whether she will be there when the ski jumpers continue their fight for their equal rights, at least in sports, in the next few years.
The next generation would then have to write the history of the Four Hills Tournament for female ski jumpers. Selina Freitag is already sure: “It’s evolving. Just like us.”