The Four Hills Tournament for women is still a long time coming

Ski jumpers annoyed

“Annoying” – women’s tour is still a long time coming

For Katharina Schmid and her teammates there will be no Four Hills Tournament this winter either. Patience is still required.

Katharina Schmid, ski jumping world champion and Olympic silver medalist, has been fighting for one goal for years: finally a Four Hills Tournament for women too. But the 28-year-old is always disappointed. “Every year the chances get a little smaller. That’s kind of annoying,” says Schmid, who has extended her career several times in the hope of reaching this milestone.

After all, Schmid is jumping for World Cup points in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Tuesday. It starts immediately after qualifying for the men’s tournament jumping – a bright spot, but it is short-lived. While the men are fighting for tour points in Garmisch on New Year’s Day, the women are in action in Oberstdorf for the “Two Nights Tour”, a mini-series that can hardly be compared to a real Four Hills Tournament. The premiere for the women’s tour was already announced for winter 2023/24.

“I try not to get upset anymore,” said Schmid. But that’s difficult for her, especially for someone who grew up in Oberstdorf and experienced the fascination of the Four Hills Tournament on Schattenberg from an early age.

The reasons for the lack of a women’s premiere are complex, with the current focus being on Innsbruck. There is no floodlight system there, which would be necessary for the implementation. According to Horst Hüttel, sports director of the German Ski Association, a decision could be made in January. “It won’t be up to us, we’re on our guard. We’re constantly discussing it,” said Hüttel.

In addition to the lack of infrastructure, the tight schedule is also cited as an obstacle. But Schmid is willing to compromise: “We would also put on our skis and jump at 9 a.m.” She also rejects objections such as a lack of hotel capacity. Accommodation in neighboring towns is possible without any problems.

There are already suggestions as to how a women’s tour could be realized. One option would be to hold the women’s competitions on the men’s qualifying day to smooth out the schedule. Women’s national coach Heinz Kuttin emphasizes that the traditional order of the tour locations – Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen – must be maintained.

Another idea would be to limit the women’s field of participants to the best 30 athletes in the World Cup. In Engelberg, where women and men jumped on the same day, it became clear that a joint event is basically possible – as long as the weather cooperates.

While 23-year-old Selina Freitag, currently fourth in the overall World Cup, is optimistic and expects a women’s tour “in the next two years”, Schmid remains skeptical. After numerous setbacks, she would now be happy to experience the first women’s tour as a spectator in her home town of Oberstdorf: “At least that would be nice.”