Women's Two Nights Tour: 'alibi tour' or Four Hills stepping stone?

DPA
·2 min read
Sven Hannawald, former ski jumper, stands in the outrun of the ski jump. Hannawald won the Four Hills Tournament in 2002 and is still the last German winner. He does not believe in an "alibi tour" for female ski jumpers and would like to see the event held at the traditional tour venues. (to dpa: "Hannawald doesn't think much of an "alibi tour" for female ski jumpers") Angelika Warmuth/dpa
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The German women's ski jumping team has somewhat mixed feelings about their upcoming inaugural Two Nights Tour at the two German venues for the men's Four Hills tournament.

The women will compete on Saturday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on Monday, New Year's Day, in Oberstdorf.

The men's order is the other way round, first Oberstdorf on Friday and then Garmisch on Monday, to be followed by the Austrian venues of Innsbruck on January 3 and Bischofshofen January 6.

The women have calling for a full Four Hills tournament of their own but the Austrian ski federation is yet to commit. There are logistical problems, and Austria also has an early January World Cup stop in Villach for the women on a multi-year contract.

"I'm really looking forward to the Two Nights Tour, even if it's not yet a Four Hills tournament for us - I almost can't hear myself say it any more," multiple world champion Katharina Schmid said in a German team statement on Tuesday.

"In the end we have to take what we get," she had previously said.

Team-mate Luisa Görlich said: "I'm really pleased that the Two Nights Tour is starting, that we're also at home in Germany with these competitions - and that we're starting a tour of our own. I hope the Austrians will follow suit next year."

Sven Hannawald, the last German to win the Four Hills back in 2002, also called for a full women's tour.

"If there is a women's tour, then it's the original one. It starts in Oberstdorf and ends in Bischofshofen. I don't think much of setting up an alibi tour and then doing something all over the place," he said.