27,000 spectators will stand in the stands at the Schattenbergschanze during the opening event of the 68th Four Hills Tournament in Oberstdorf, the tickets have been sold out for over a month. The ski jumpers will not notice much of this atmosphere - unless they have secured a ticket for the spectator ranks. They are not allowed to jump along. The biggest event in the ski jumping calendar is reserved for men. The women therefore do not benefit from the great media attention that ski jumping receives during this time.
This is criticized by the ski jumpers: "For example, there is no four-hill tour for women that would stand out from the normal World Cup calendar," said Olympic champion Carina Vogt of the "Stuttgarter Zeitung". "I can not understand why that does not happen. The men will not lose TV viewers just because before and after we women are broadcast live."
Will this change? "As of today, there are no concrete plans," said Walter Hofer, race director of the Fis International Ski Association, last October. Until then, according to Hofer, "there was no application from a national ski association to think of anything in this direction".
"Now the ski associations are in demand"
Why are women still not allowed to jump on the four hill tour? The organizers of the traditional tournament have long been criticized for resting too much on tradition and thinking too little about the future. But when SPIEGEL asked about a possible four-hill tour for women, a tour spokesman said: "From our point of view, nothing would contradict it."
On the tour side, however, it says that you can't do much yourself when it comes to integrating women - and also refers to the associations. "We approached DSV and ÖSV and both signaled that there was a willingness on our part," said the spokesman. "Now the ski associations are in demand. They have to push that forward at the Fis."
Markku Ulander DPA
Carina Vogt: "We are missing a four hill tour"
What do the associations say? "It is correct that the Fis can only become active if a corresponding request is received from the national side," says Horst Hüttel, ski jumping team manager at DSV, SPIEGEL. "The topic is interesting for us, but there has not yet been a final vote at our company to make a corresponding request." There are various questions to be clarified beforehand: How does television react? What about insurance if a combined women's and men's show would have to be canceled due to the weather? "This has to be evaluated first," says Hüttel.
The long road to equality
But it is also a fundamental problem of the sport. Ski jumping for women was promoted late - and accordingly the first steps towards equality were taken late. The World Cup for women has existed since 2011, the Olympics took place for the first time in 2014 and competitions from the large hill are only gradually increasing.
The lack of experience from the large jumps is, according to Andreas Bauer, the head coach of the German ski jumpers, one reason why ski jumpers were not part of the four hill tour in the past. "In the last few years women have not been quite as far, but it has developed enormously," Bauer told Bayerischer Rundfunk. Therefore "it is only a matter of time before it will happen". Hofer also said: "From a purely sporting point of view, there is nothing to be said against it."
The athletes have a kind of cautious hope: "If you see how we jump the large hill, hopefully there will be a four-hill tour or more competitions on large hills such as World Championships or Olympia in the next few years," said German ski jumper Katharina Althaus on Deutschlandfunk ,
What could a solution look like?
It would be logical to integrate the women into the tour. This option would bring them the most attention - and is favored by head coach Bauer. He suggested holding the women's show on the day of the men's qualifications.
Hendrik Schmidt / dpa central picture / dpa
Katharina Althaus: "If you see how we jump the large hill, hopefully a four hill tour will come in the next few years"
Logistical aspects could be problematic with this variant. "Docking with us is a nice idea, but I think it would put the organizers of the Four Hills Tournament in front of seemingly impossible tasks," said Stefan Horngacher, the national coach of the men, the SPIEGEL. "The chance to do it at the same time is slim," said the tour spokesman. "It is already difficult to accommodate the World Cup team." The main holiday season is in the towns during the tour, the hotels are full.
"Of course you would have to think about logistics. It's the turn of the year, the places are full. But then you just have to live in Kempten and take 40 minutes to get there. You would have to look for solutions," says Bauer. Hofer also sees problems in the logistics area, especially with regard to the organization of the competitions. "What happens when it snows? Who has priority then?"
Role model Norway?
Alternatively, you would have to switch to another date - or other locations. The second variant in particular met with little enthusiasm from Bauer: "If you do it, you should take up the tradition and not stomp it out somewhere else like a retort." Horngacher says: "My suggestion would be that the women start their own four or three hill tour, which then grows over the years, as happened with the four hill tour and as the Norwegians are currently trying with raw air. "
With the Raw-Air series, a Norwegian variant of the tour with four competitions, which has been held in March for a few years, you are already one step ahead in terms of equality. Since this year women have also been allowed to participate. On the same ski jumps, on the same dates. Only ski flying in Vikersund remains only for men.
On the four hill tour, however, the women will be left out of all four competitions until further notice - because no serious efforts have yet been made to change the current situation as quickly as possible.
