Ski jumping: the Oberstdorf competition for Austria’s Stefan Kraft
Late on Sunday afternoon, more than 25,500 spectators gathered at the foot of the Schattenbergschanze in Oberstdorf (Germany) to watch the first of the 73rd Four Hills Tournament. In the German night, at the foot of the Allgäu mountains, the show was on once again.
Although Japan’s Ren Nikaido came within 1.5 metres of Sigurd Pettersen’s old springboard record with his second jump at 142 metres, it was Stefan Kraft who proved the strongest. Flying 138 and then 135.5 metres, he won the Oberstdorf event and thus took command of the Tour.
On the podium, he is followed by his compatriots Jan Hoerl (134.5 and 135 metres), on 3.5 points, and Daniel Tschofenig (131 and 140.5 metres), on 11.5 points. Pius Paschke (138 and 133.5 metres), on 13.8 points, Johann André Forfang (140 and 136 metres), on 16.2 points, and Gregor Deschwanden (140 and 136.5 metres), follow.
Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal (134 and 135.5 metres), Karl Geiger (135 and 137 metres), Michael Hayboeck (134.5 and 129.5 metres), Halvor Egner Granerud (136 and 127 metres), Ryoyu Kobayashi (127 and 133.5 metres), Andreas Wellinger (129 and 132.5 metres) and Marius Lindvik (127 and 129 metres) all seem to have already lost out on the 2024/2025 Tour.
First final on the Tour for Valentin Foubert
Further down the rankings, but still in the top 30, was France’s Valentin Foubert (125.5 and 128 metres). Although he lost his KO system to American Tate Frantz (131 and 127.5 metres) in the first round, the Courchevel native still qualified for the final, his first at the Tour, as the fifth and final repechage.
In twenty-eighth place, he has made a superb start to the 2024/2025 Four Hills Tournament. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the team will travel to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) for the traditional New Year’s Day competition.
Full results
The general ranking of the Tournée des Quatre Tremplins
The overall World Cup standings
