The Four Hills Tournament is just around the corner

It has been 16 years since a German ski jumper won the Four Hills Tournament. Sven Hannawald, one of the best of all time, is still the last German overall winner of the most coveted trophy in the ski jumping circus. This year the chances are better than they have been for a long time. Two Germans are among the absolute top favorites.

Freitag and Wellinger are at the front

If the Four Hills Tournament continues as it did in the World Cup, then there will be no way around the German ski jumpers. With Richard Freitag and Andreas Wellinger, two of them lead the overall World Cup rankings. But: It is rare for a jumper to win the Four Hills Tournament who is also at the top of the World Cup at the time. Like all major events, the tour also has its own rules. It depends on your form on the day. One bad jump and your chances of overall victory are gone.

There is also a lot of pressure. The first two competitions take place in Germany, then it goes to Austria. An advantage for the red-white-red eagles. So it may well be that Stefan Kraft, who hasn't won any competitions this year, will have a big say in the Four Hills Tournament. He is currently the only Austrian of world class stature.

Does an underdog win?

The Four Hills Tournament is also a springboard. Outsiders who suddenly jump to the top are not uncommon. The Lower Austrian Thomas Diethart, for example. As a completely unknown ski jumper, he won the Four Hills Tournament in 2013. Just as quickly as he had come up, Diethart disappeared back into obscurity. It is unlikely that something like that will happen this year - but not impossible.

There are enough dangerous outsiders. To describe Daniel-Andrè Tande and Johann-Andrè Forfang as outsiders would not do them justice. After all, the two Norwegians are in third and fourth place in the overall World Cup rankings. Tande in particular is excited about the tour. Last year, despite two stage victories in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Innsbruck, it wasn't enough for the overall victory.

The Pole Kamil Stoch grabbed it. You have to take him into account, just like his teammates Piotr Zyla and Dawid Kubacki. If Markus Eisenbichler gets off to a good start, then the 26-year-old from Bavaria has a lot in store for him - just like Junshiro Kobayashi from Japan. The Slovenians around Peter Prevc are among the outsiders.

Alex Insam is also there

The only South Tyrolean World Cup ski jumper, Alex Insam, has other goals. For the 20-year-old, it's about new experiences and the first World Cup points of the current season. So far this year, the man from Val Gardena has not been able to collect any points. The best placement on the program is 41st place in Titisee-Neustadt. Who knows, maybe he'll make the big jump at the Four Hills Tournament of all places.

The program for the Four Hills Tournament

December 30th: Oberstdorf January 1st: Garmisch-Partenkirchen January 4th: Innsbruck January 6th: Bischofshofen

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The Four Hills Tournament is just around the corner

The opening competition of the Four Hills Tournament is on the program on Saturday. A South Tyrolean is also there. For Alex Insam it's about gaining experience and the odd World Cup point. The favorites are different.

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