Children’s Four Hills Tournament 2013: “Set on the Future”

RASCHAU/HINZENBACH, June 2013
Sunday, June 16 in Hinzenbach, Saturday, June 22 in Bischofshofen, Saturday, September 14 in Reit im Winkl, Saturday, September 21 in Berchtesgaden – these dates have already been entered in their calendars in red by dozens of ski jumpers aged between seven and eleven: on these days the children’s Four Hills Tournament 2013 takes place.

It is already the 15th edition, and if you flip through the results lists, the competition reads like the Who’s Who of international ski jumping. Thomas Morgenstern has taken part before, as has patron Gregor Schlierenzauer or Michael Hayböck (all Austrians) or Czech Roman Koudelka. And among the women, Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, third at the 2013 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, jumped as well.

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Austrian, German and international ski associations support the competition series, which is regarded as the world’s largest children’s event in ski jumping. There are five boys’ and two girls’ classes, in which around 180 children will again participate this year on various hill sizes. “It isn’t a talent cup or a gugelhupf jump, which is why we design the competitions to be fair and precise for all participants,” explains tournament coordinator Wolfgang Reutner. “There is video distance measurement from Ewoxx, and we need this for timely analysis. After all, the award ceremony should take place 15 minutes after the jump.”

The importance of the Children’s Four Hills Tournament is underscored by the fact that there are internal club competitions and even national cup jumps, yet that’s where the fun ends. With whom should the junior jumpers measure themselves? In this series they have the opportunity to compete in an international field. Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Romania have already signed up, perhaps participants from Turkey or other countries will join. “We could handle 200 jumpers with our current organizational capacity, probably no more,” says Reutner, who proudly notes that the prizes in the individual and club classifications are crystal bowls, “from JOSKA, which also makes the FIS World Cup spheres.”

Finding sponsors for this junior event is becoming increasingly difficult. The participating clubs pay a cost contribution, but even more important is the sponsorship of Peter Riedel GmbH, which operates as the main sponsor. “Since I have been involved in ski jumping, I have paid particular attention to children’s and youth jumping,” says company owner Peter Riedel. “That’s why we also built a mobile K4 and K6 hill, which can be transported from one venue to another without any problems, and that’s why we have been following the children’s Four Hills Tournament for years with great interest. We are looking to the future and also want to contribute a little to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening. Namely: no jumpers youth anymore, no World Cup anymore, no Four Hills Tournament anymore.”

How important the Children’s Four Hills Tournament is for the clubs themselves is explained by the chairman of UVB Hinzenbach. “It’s not just about the jumpers themselves. Among the spectators there will also be many kids who may become interested in one day jumping themselves. Everyone is welcome! By the way, interested children can borrow equipment from us.”