Top things to know about the 2021/22 ski jumping season

Ski jumpers from all over the world will be excited to once again soar into the air after a 2020/21 season that was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new season will see a star-studded lineup battle it out for supremacy, with the ultimate competition - the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 - set to take place next February.

Titanic battle on the cards for the men’s title

After a staggering 2020/21 season, Norway's Halvor Egner Granerud will be a strong favourite in the men's competition as he aims to win his first-ever Winter Olympic medal in Beijing.

Egner Granerud accumulated 1572 points with 11 World Cup wins to top the season standings. The Norwegian also helped his country win the Nations Cup while triumphing in the Willingen Six and finishing fourth in the Four Hills Tournament.

Germany’s Markus Eisenbichler, a former large hill World Champion and current team and team mixed titleholder, had a fantastic season as well and will be looking to continue his good form as he plots a way to topple his Norwegian opponent in Beijing. At the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, he finished 8th in the normal hill category and 14th in the large hill competition.

Current Ski Flying world champion Karl Geiger may have finished sixth in the overall standings last season, however, his pedigree cannot be questioned. His presence also strengthens the German team as they head towards the Team Large Hill competition at the Olympic Winter Games.

Hot on the heels of both Egner Granerud and Eisenbichler will be Polish superstar Kamil Stoch, one of the most decorated ski jumpers of all time. The three-time Olympic gold medallist has the distinction of being the oldest individual gold medallist at the Olympic Winter Games.

The Polish legend won gold at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang in the Large Hill competition as well as bronze in the Team Large Hill. He is expected to be a top contender for the gold medal in February.

Japan’s Kobayashi Ryōyū has produced some strong performances in World Cups and World Championships over the past years and will be aiming for his maiden Olympic medal next year. Robert Johansson, who won three medals at the 2018 Games, (one gold, two bronze) will be hoping for consecutive Olympic wins and has an excellent chance of gold in the Team event.

The men’s large hill team competition promises to be a cracking contest with Norway and Germany looking like top contenders due to the presence of proven world-class ski jumpers within their respective ranks.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Norway’s team (Daniel-André Tande, Andreas Stjernen, Johann André Forfang, Robert Johansson) outclassed Germany’s quartet of Karl Geiger, Stephan Leyhe, Richard Freitag and Andreas Wellinger to win the gold medal.

During the 2020/21 season, the Norwegian side coasted to victory in the Nations Cup, leaving behind Poland (2nd) and Germany (3rd). Egner Granerud, Robert Johansson and Daniel-André Tande will be hoping to win a second consecutive gold for Norway in the team event.

Athletes from Europe and Asia battle for supremacy in women’s competition

The women’s competition is set to be a direct clash between top-class ski jumpers from Europe and Asia. After a successful 2020/21 World Cup season, Slovenia’s young star Nika Križnar will be gunning for her first-ever Winter Olympics medal.

The Slovenian registered two World Cup wins last season and outclassed the likes of Marita Kramer, Takanashi Sara and Silje Opseth to finish on top of the overall standings. At Beijing 2022, she will be making her second appearance on the world’s biggest sporting stage and will be a strong contender for the gold medal.

Austria’s Kramer took the world by storm last season, registering seven World Cup wins - the most of any female ski jumper. She is aiming to become the first-ever Austrian to win an Olympic gold medal in ski jumping and, after the dominance of last season, the top spot on the podium seems to be well within her sights.

Japan’s Takanashi will be tasked with challenging the dominance of European ski jumpers this season. She is one of the most successful athletes in the sport’s history and finished just nine points behind Križnar in last season’s overall standings, registering three World Cup wins.

The PyeongChang 2018 bronze winner is aiming for gold at Beijing 2022 and is sure to challenge the Europeans in her quest for Olympic glory. 

Norway’s Opseth and 2018 Pyeongchang silver medallist Katharina Althaus will also be among the athletes to watch out for in the upcoming season.

For the first time in the competition’s history, the mixed team event will be held at Beijing 2022 and it promises to be a close contest between Norway, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

2021/22 ski jumping calendar

• 19-21 November 2021 - Nizhny Tagil (Russia): World Cup
• 25-27 November 2021 - Nizhny Tagil (Russia): World Cup
• 26-28 November 2021 – Ruka (Finland): World Cup
• 3-5 December 2021 – Wisla (Poland): World Cup
• 3-5 December 2021 – Lillehammer (Norway): World Cup
• 4-5 December 2021 – Zhangjiakou (China): Continental Cup
• 9-12 December 2021 - Klingenthal (Germany): World Cup
• 10-12 December 2021 – Kandersteg (Switzerland): FIS Cup
• 10-12 December 2021 – Vikersund (Norway): Continental Cup
• 16-17 December 2021 – Ramsau (Austria): World Cup
• 17-18 December 2021 – Notodden (Norway): Continental Cup/FIS Cup
• 17-19 December 2021 – Engelberg (Switzerland): World Cup
• 18-19 December 2021 – Ruka (Finland): World Cup
• 22-25 December 2021 – Lake Placid (USA): FIS Cup
• 27-28 December 2021 - Engelberg (Switzerland): Continental Cup
• 28-29 December 2021 - Oberstdorf (Germany): World Cup
• 29 December 2021 to 6 January 2022 – FIS Cup
• 30 December 2021 to 1 January 2022 – Ljubno (Slovenia): World Cup
• 31 December 2021 to 1 January 2022 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany): World Cup
• 3-4 January 2022 – Innsbruck (Austria): World Cup
• 5-6 January 2022 –Bischofshofen (Austria): World Cup
• 7-8 January 2022 – Titisee-Neustadt (Germany): Continental Cup
• 7-9 January 2022 – Sapporo (Japan): World Cup
• 7-9 January 2022 – Bischofshofen (Austria): World Cup
• 8-9 January 2022 – Zakopane (Poland): FIS Cup
• 13-15 January 2022 – Zao (Japan): World Cup
• 14-16 January 2022 – Zakopane (Poland): World Cup
• 14-16 January 2022 – Oberhof (Germany): Alpen Cup
• 20-23 January 2022 – Sapporo (Japan): World Cup
• 22-23 January 2022 – Innsbruck (Austria): Continental Cup
• 28-30 January 2022 – Willingen (Germany): World Cup
• 29-30 January 2022 – Planica (Slovenia): Continental Cup
• 29-30 January 2022 – Zakopane (Poland): FIS Cup
• 5-14 February 2022 – Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
• 24-27 February 2022 – Hinzenbach (Austria): World Cup
• 25-27 February 2022 – Lahti (Finland): World Cup
• 28 February to March 6 2022 – Zakopane (Poland): World Junior Championship
• 2-3 March 2022 – Lillehammer (Norway): World Cup
• 3-6 March 2022 – Sapporo Miyanomori (Japan): FIS Cup
• 3-6 March 2022 – Sapporo Okurayama (Japan): FIS Cup
• 4-6 March 2022 – Oslo (Norway): World Cup
• 5-6 March 2022 –Lahti (Finland): Continental Cup
• 10-13 March 2022 – Vikersund (Norway): Ski Flying World Championship
• 11-13 March 2022 – Oberhof (Germany): World Cup
• 12-13 March 2022 – Zakopane (Poland): Continental Cup
• 16-19 March 2022 – Whistler Olympic Pk (Canada): Continental Cup
• 18-20 March 2022 – Nizhny Tagil (Russia): World Cup
• 18-20 March 2022 – Oberstdorf (Germany): World Cup
• 19-27 March 2022 – Russia Blue Bird Tournament: World Cup
• 23-26 March 2022 – Lake Placid (USA): Continental Cup
• 24-27 March 2022 – Planica (Slovenia): World Cup
• 25-27 March 2022 – Chaikovsky: World Cup