Everything you need to know about the Four Hills Tournament – preview, schedule and stars to watch
Your one-stop guide to the prestigious ski jumping event, where Karl Geiger, Ryoyu Kobayashi and Kamil Stoch are the early favourites in Olympic year.
Ski Jumping
The Four Hills Tournament is one of the highlights of the ski jumping calendar, but with the extra incentive of an upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, 2021/22 could be one of the best editions ever.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Kamil Stoch will have his work cut out defending his title.
Germany's Karl Geiger and Japanese flyer Kobayashi Ryoyu have been in fine form in, and are currently the pre-event favourites.
Unfortunately, anti-coronavirus measures in Bavaria and Austria mean no spectators will be allowed to attend any of the four legs this year.
But there is plenty to get excited about, and below we take a look at the event schedule, which stars to look out for, the top storylines, and more.
READ: Olympic ski jumping at Beijing 2022: Top five things to know
Four Hills Tournament 2020-21 Schedule
The four competitions will take place in (all times CET):
Germany
Oberstdorf: Dec. 29 at 4:30 pm
Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Jan 1 at 2:00 pm
Austria
Innsbruck: 4 January - 1:30 pm
Bischofshofen: 6 January - 5:30
Four Hills 2021/22 stars to watch
Where else to start than reigning Four Hills champion Kamil Stoch?
Despite the three-time reigning Olympic champion not enjoying his finest winter season ever, his recent victory in Poland's national championships means he enters the 2021/22 Four Hills full of confidence.
With 39 World Cup victories, he is a master in the art of rising for to the big occasion.
Many are tipping Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi to win his second Four Hills title this season.
The 2018/19 champion won the most recent World Cup event in Engelberg, Switzerland, and has only been hindered this season by a positive COVID test, which forced him to miss two competitions.
But that is ancient history, and with his form and fitness peaking, the 25-year-old will take some stopping.
READ: Up, up and away: Kobayashi Ryoyu taking off big-time to Beijing 2022
Elsewhere, home hero Karl Geiger is enjoying arguably his finest form ever.
The German has won twice this season so far, and will arrive at the Four Hills as the current Ski Flying world champion, and the World Cup overall leader.
An outside winner could be Halvor Egner Granerud from Norway, who was a regular feature on podiums last season.
Other jumpers to keep an eye out for are Marius Lindvik (Norway), Markus Eisenbichler (Germany), Killian Peier (Switzerland), and Stefan Kraft (Austria).