Winter sports
Hannawald speaks of an “alibi tour” for female ski jumpers
Sven Hannawald doesn’t think anything of an “alibi tour” for female ski jumpers. photo
© Angelika Warmuth/dpa
This winter, the ski jumpers are celebrating a special premiere at two of the four locations on the Four Hills Tournament. But ski jumping legend Hannawald doesn’t want to talk about half a tour.
The former world-class ski jumper Sven Hannawald doesn’t want to talk about half a Four Hills Tournament in view of two competitions for female ski jumpers in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Oberstdorf around the turn of the year.
“I can’t do anything by half measures,” the 49-year-old told the German Press Agency. Hannawald added: “I’m not talking about half a tour, but about jumping in Garmisch. I’m not yet bringing up the topic of a tour.”
The last German tour winner to date, who won the event with the traditional venues Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen in 2002, also said: “If there is a women’s tour, then it is the original. It starts in Oberstdorf and stops in Bischofshofen. I don’t believe in setting up an alibi tour and then doing something all over the place.”
The ski jumpers have been hoping for a Four Hills Tournament for years. So far, however, organizational problems have prevented alignment. For the first time this year, the jumpers will compete in competitions on December 30th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on New Year’s Day in Oberstdorf. The event is called the “Two Nights Tour”.