The 71st Four Hills Tournament begins in Oberstdorf on Wednesday. For sports show expert Sven Hannawald, the German ski jumpers are not among the favorites this time. He sees a Norwegian in the front.
Every time Sven Hannawald talks about the Four Hills Tournament, his eyes get a special shine. “I saw her as a little kid and I really wanted to win her”, he says in the Sportschau interview. The fact that he managed to do this impressively makes him proud to this day. 21 years ago, Hannawald won all four tournaments, was the first to win the Grand Slam and thus wrote ski jumping history.
This year the Four Hills Tournament is taking place for the 71st time. “There’s some story on every tour that you didn’t have in mind, and that’s going to be the case again this year.” Hannawald thinks that’s what makes the tour so fascinating. Part of the story this year is the return of viewers. “The fact that we finally have a full house again is sensational.” And there it is again, that glow in Sven Hannawald’s eyes. He also admits that he gets goosebumps just thinking about the many euphoric fans. “When you stand up there and everyone suddenly starts yelling, you’re a bit nervous, but that’s just motivating.”he recalls.
Four Hills Tournament brings special challenges
But the jumpers have to be able to deal with this motivation boost. Four competitions at four different locations (Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck, Bischofshofen) within ten days are a particular burden. The regeneration time is short, the media hype is greater than in normal World Cup competitions. If you want to fly away from everyone, you not only have to be able to handle it, you also need a certain amount of luck on the tour, says Hannawald: “That’s what you can’t plan, but it makes it incredibly exciting for everyone else.”
One of the favorites for Sven Hannawald is not surprisingly the Pole Dawid Kubacki. Because whoever goes to the tour in the yellow jersey, i.e. as the overall World Cup leader, “did something right”. The Slovenian Anze Lanisek, victorious in World Cup competitions in Titisee-Neustadt and Engelberg, is also one of the favorites for the sports show experts. “He gets along well, especially on these hills”explains Hannawald. “He also has the confidence now in the season that he doesn’t even think about doing anything wrong. He just lets it happen.” But Hannawald sees a Norwegian at the top: Halvor Egner Granerud – currently fourth in the overall World Cup. “Even though Kubacki is in yellow, I instinctively think Granerud will rock the thing.”
German ski jumpers around Karl Geiger not in the role of favorites this time
It could be difficult for the Germans to fly all the way to the front this time. “I have to say that this year we’ve been in a situation where we’re not really favourites. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.” At the last World Cup before the tour in Engelberg, however, you saw that one or the other saw the light at the end of the tunnel, said Hannawald. “For example, if Karl Geiger knows what he has to do, he’s right there.” And so Sven Hannawald does not completely give up hope that after 21 years there might be a German tour winner again.