Charming Oberstdorf and the "bowl" in Innsbruck: Discover the venues of the Four Hills Tournament.
However, the primary factor behind the success of the Tournee is its sporting aspect. Unlike world championships or the Olympics, which take place in a single day, there are no random winners here. While luck may favor you on a specific day, achieving consistent performance at the highest level over eight consecutive days on four different jumps is impossible solely due to chance. Furthermore, unlike the long-distance events in the World Cup, the Tournee allows no room for error: a single failed jump can eliminate all chances of overall success. This, combined with immense media and fan attention, makes the Tournee incredibly challenging even for the strongest and most psychologically resilient competitors.
The legendary multi-day event occurs annually on the same dates at the same jumps: in the German towns of Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, as well as in the Austrian cities of Innsbruck and Bischofshofen. The usual order of the Tournee stages has deviated only a few times in history: in 1953, the first stage was not Oberstdorf but Garmisch; in the 1956/57, 1961/62, and 1962/63 seasons, Garmisch was the third stage, while Innsbruck was the second. In the 1971/72 season, the Tournee began in Innsbruck, with Oberstdorf as the third stage. In 2008 and 2022, due to severe weather conditions, the stages in Innsbruck were canceled, and additional competitions were held in Bischofshofen instead.
In modern times, most World Cup jumps are designed similarly due to strict safety requirements. However, all four venues of the Tournee are completely different, each with its unique characteristics. This is yet another factor that makes the legendary multi-day event so intriguing and demanding from a sporting perspective: to win the overall standings, you need to be a true all-rounder and be able to adapt to entirely different venues.
3Among the four jumps of the Tournee, there are two extremes, both of which are located in Austria. The "Bergisel" in Innsbruck is the most complex and specific jump not only of the Tournee but also among all the venues used in the World Cup. It features a short yet steep take-off hill and a sharp transition to a short take-off table, which is quite challenging to hit during the push-off—a true test for any jumper. Additionally, due to the very high angle of the take-off table, precision and timing during the push-off are crucial. When you hit the table accurately, this jump literally propels you high into the air and guarantees a successful jump. Conversely, a mistake during the push-off can be fatal: without that powerful impulse on the take-off table, saving the jump becomes impossible.
Bischofshofen is the complete opposite of Innsbruck. It features a very long and gentle take-off hill, along with a long and smooth take-off table—making it very difficult to make a significant error here. As for the two German venues, they are less radical but share some similarities with the Austrian ones. The "Schattenbergschanze" in Oberstdorf can be seen as "Innsbruck on a smaller scale": it is also quite steep, but not as much as the "Bergisel." Meanwhile, the "Olympiaschanze" in Garmisch-Partenkirchen can be referred to as "Bischofshofen on a smaller scale": it is gentle and smooth, but not to the same extent as the venue for the final stage.
Regardless, each of these jumps is a completely unique and iconic structure with its own special atmosphere and rich history. We invite you to take a closer look at each of the four jumps of the Tournee.
Oberstdorf
"Schattenbergschanze"
Built in 1925
K-point: 120 m
Hill size: 137 m
Jump record: 143.5 m, Sigurd Pettersen (Norway), 29.12.2003
4The first stage of the Tournee takes place in Oberstdorf, in southern Bavaria. The local ski club is perhaps the best and most prolific in Germany, having produced numerous outstanding athletes across various skiing disciplines: jumping, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, and biathlon. The "Schattenbergschanze" is a complex of five jumps of varying sizes, allowing athletes of different ages and skill levels to practice jumping. The jump is named after the Schattenberg mountain, whose peak is located at an altitude of 1,845 meters above sea level. The jump complex is situated on the northwestern slope of this mountain.
In addition to the first stage of the Tournee, the jump in Oberstdorf also periodically hosts World Cup competitions in Nordic combined. Three times—in 1987, 2005, and 2021—the winter capital of Bavaria hosted the World Ski Championships. The last major reconstruction of the jump, which took place in 2003, was timed to coincide with the 2005 World Championships.
During this reconstruction, a second tier of stands was built, providing unique acoustics. Every year, tens of thousands of fans create an incredible atmosphere in these stands during the Tournee, which many consider the best in the World Cup.
Of the four stages of the Tournee, two have fixed dates: Garmisch-Partenkirchen (qualifying on December 31, main event on January 1) and Bischofshofen (January 5-6). The dates for the stages in Oberstdorf and Innsbruck are "floating." The tournament in Oberstdorf takes place either on December 28-29 or December 29-30. Recently, organizers have leaned more towards the December 28-29 option, extending the multi-day event to 10 days and creating an additional rest day during the Tournee.
It is worth noting that Oberstdorf might not have appeared on the Tournee map at all: it was initially planned that the first stage would take place at the jump in Füssen. However, this venue has been closed and demolished for many years. Spotting the remnants of the jump among the local forest is quite challenging:
5The jump record in Oberstdorf is the oldest of all four venues. It was set on December 29, 2003, during the very first tournament at the "Schattenbergschanze" after reconstruction. On that day, Sigurd Pettersen soared to 143.5 meters in his second attempt during the main round. That jump earned the Norwegian victory in the first stage and allowed him to seize the lead in the overall standings of the Tournee, which Sigurd never relinquished.
Historically, the most successful competitors in Oberstdorf have been the hosts, the German national team. Dieter Thoma (in 1988, 1989, and 1996) and Martin Schmidt (1998, 1999, 2000) both triumphed three times at the "Schattenbergschanze," and only Japanese jumper Ryoyu Kobayashi (2018, 2019, 2021) has managed to match their achievement.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
"Grosse Olympiaschanze"
Built in 1933
K-point: 125 m
Hill size: 142 m
Jump record: 144 m, Dawid Kubacki (Poland), 1.1.2021
6The second stage of the Tournee is the famous New Year’s jumps in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The tradition of holding jumping competitions here on January 1 began in 1922—long before the Tournee was established and even before the "Olympiaschanze" was built. Until 1933, there was another jump at this location. However, Nazi Germany was awarded the right to host the 1936 Winter Olympics, and a new complex of Olympic jumps was decided to be built in preparation for this event.
The "Olympiaschanze" became a key venue for the 1936 Games. A ski stadium was constructed in the take-off area of the jump. It served not only as stands for jumping and Nordic combined competitions but also as the start/finish area for cross-country skiing. The "Olympiaschanze" also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of that Winter Olympics.
The New Year’s jumps in Garmisch quickly transformed into a prestigious and unique event with a special aura, and it was around them that the idea of holding the Austro-German Jumping Week (the name the Tournee was originally known by) during the festive New Year period was formed.