BISCHOFSHOFEN, Austria — In a dramatic turn of events, Stefan Kraft saw his hopes of winning the Four Hills ski jumping tournament dashed during the final jump of Monday’s competition, marking a decade since his previous victory.
The 31-year-old athlete faced an anxious wait as strong winds delayed his second jump, with his teammate Daniel Tschofenig poised at the bottom of the Bischofshofen hill, leading both the event and the overall standings for the Four Hills tournament.
Kraft’s jump reached 137.5 meters, falling short by three meters compared to Tschofenig’s superior performance, which also garnered more favorable scores from the judges in terms of style points. Consequently, this setback caused Kraft to finish third in both Monday’s competition and the overall standings.
Tschofenig, who recently celebrated his first career individual victory just a month prior, secured his place by winning in Bischofshofen, adding to his earlier success on New Year’s Day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. His accomplishments at just 22 years of age earned him enough points to claim the coveted Four Hills title.
Coming in second overall and taking the runner-up spot for the day was Jan Hörl, who achieved the longest jumps of both rounds, measuring 143 meters on his second attempt after an impressive 140.5 meters on the first. Despite this, he received fewer judge points due to style assessments.
Austria celebrated a remarkable 1-2-3 finish in the Four Hills standings, a decade after last winning the prestigious golden eagle trophy, which coincided with Kraft’s sole title back in 2015.
Prior to the final event, Kraft entered the competition as the overall leader, having secured victories in the opening round at Oberstdorf, Germany, on December 29, and again in Innsbruck, Austria, just days before.