Jumping canceled – now it’s a three-hill tournament
The wind, the wind … he made sure that the third tour stop in Innsbruck could not take place
What: REUTERS
Too unstable, too dangerous: The third competition of the Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck has to be canceled due to strong winds. Now there is a three-hill tournament. But still with four jumps.
Dhe sky over Innsbruck had closed, thick clouds blocked the view of the sun, the trees moved to the beat of the wind, the huge protective net on the ski jump arched – and the flags fluttered violently in the wind on this Tuesday afternoon. The Föhn had already blatantly influenced the third jumping of the Four Hills Tournament over and over again: through postponements and long breaks, through changeable conditions from athlete to athlete.
It was too much that Tuesday. Even the trial round had to be canceled. The competition was subsequently moved a little further back from the original start time at 1.30 p.m. – until it was finally canceled. The wind was just too strong and the risk for the athletes too great. Quite apart from the fact that fair competition would not have been possible. And since there is no floodlight at the Bergisel ski jump, the last possible start time was 3 p.m.
“The situation is unstable,” said the race director of the World Federation FIS, Sandro Pertile, on ZDF. “Our priority is the safety of the athletes.” And they are now traveling directly to Bischofshofen.
For the second time a three-hill tournament
Not infrequently, the Bergisel-Schanze had shaken up the overall classification. Sometimes through a wind lottery, sometimes simply because this hill is considered tricky even in top weather. A small mistake there can have a big impact. If the conditions are difficult, many jumpers face challenges.
There couldn’t be such pictures on Tuesday. The photo is from Monday, qualification day
Quelle: Getty Images/Jasmin Walter
And now? The original tour plan stipulates that the qualification will be held in Bischofshofen on Wednesday at 5.15 p.m. and the final competition there on Thursday. That is now being changed. The Innsbruck competition is to be rescheduled in Bischofshofen – on Wednesday, with the qualification right before that at 1 p.m. and the third tournament jumping at 4.30 p.m.
“We will be more flexible in Bischofshofen,” said Pertile. The Paul-Ausserleitner-Schanze there has floodlights, so that the jury has more leeway with the choice of the start time.
The final competition would then be as planned on Thursday (5.30 p.m. ARD / Eurosport). This is not a novelty in history. Also in 2008 the jumping in Innsbruck had to be canceled, so that two competitions took place in Bischofshofen.
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