The highlight of the season for ski jumpers can begin. Shortly before the start of the Four Hills Tournament, the German “Eagles” appeared self-confident.
It finally starts on Thursday (December 28th, 2023). The 72nd edition of the Four Hills Tournament begins in Oberstdorf. In twelve competitions on the four ski jumps in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, it will be decided by January 6th, 2024 who will win the Golden Tour Eagle this time.
Wellinger: “It’s nice that we have rivalry”
This time the highlight of the season for ski jumpers could be an exclusively German-Austrian affair. The current best in the World Cup is Austria’s Stefan Kraft, his closest pursuers are three Germans: Andreas Wellinger, Pius Paschke and Karl Geiger. For Wellinger, the upcoming competitions have a special appeal thanks to this constellation: “Of course it’s nice that we have this rivalry. That’s what defines the tour. That’s what defines the teams too. Without the duel it would be a bit boring.”said the two-time Olympic champion.
“Get the ball rolling”
More than 25,000 spectators are expected to watch Oberstdorf qualify on Thursday. Many of them are probably hoping that, 22 years after Sven Hannawald’s triumph, a German jumper will once again win the tournament. A hope that Wellinger also shares: “I’m incredibly looking forward to it. I hope that we can get the ball rolling starting tomorrow”says the 28-year-old confidently.
Geiger: “We’ve wanted to…” for years.
Karl Geiger also hopes: “We have wanted one of this team to win the Four Hills Tournament for years”says the five-time world champion. But there is no big talk about it in the team. Because: “It just creates tension.” Instead, the 30-year-old relies on concrete action: “We’ll have a go at it tomorrow and then we’ll see who wins.”
Hotel change “very good move””
In order to make the dream of Germany’s first overall victory since 2002 come true, the hotel was even changed. The German entourage no longer spends the night in the Oberstdorf district of Tiefenbach but in the Oberstdorf neighboring town of Fischen im Allgäu. And not for reasons of superstition, as national coach Stefan Horngacher emphasizes. But because people here know their way around well: “It just makes sense when you spend 99 percent of your training days here that we also live here during the tour. The guys know their stuff, everyone knows exactly where to get everything. It’s a logical consequence. That was a very good one Move”emphasizes the coach.
Horngacher: “We used our time well”
The Austrian, who led the Pole Kamil Stoch to tour victory in 2018, also believes that the fight for tour victory will not just be a German-Austrian duel. According to Horngacher, the recently weaker nations have certainly made use of the week and a half since the most recent World Cup in Engelberg. “The time factor always helps when you don’t jump well. But we also used the time pretty well, even with a longer regeneration phase.”said the national coach.
Schedule of the 72nd Four Hills Tournament
| Date | Competition/venue | In the sports show |
|---|---|---|
December 28th, 4:30 p.m | Qualification Oberstdorf | TV/live stream |
December 29th, 5:15 p.m | Oberstdorf competition | TV/live stream |
December 31st, 1:45 p.m | Qualification Garmisch-P. | Live ticker |
January 1st, 2 p.m | Competition Garmisch-P. | Live ticker |
January 2nd, 1:30 p.m | Qualification Innsbruck | Live ticker |
January 3rd, 1:30 p.m | Competition Innsbruck | Live ticker |
January 5th, 4:30 p.m | Qualification Bischofshofen | TV/live stream |
January 6th, 4:30 p.m | Competition Bischofshofen | TV/live stream |
Source: Dirk Hofmeister (with material from dpa)