#four hills tournament

[lewanarta]

Ryoyu Kobayashi wins the 72nd Four Hills Tournament 🦅

[dadlezal]

also, there was a conversation in the studio for Polish Eurosport between rounds about rivalry in ski jumping which I found thought–provoking. one of the experts was Krzysztof Biegun, former Polish ski jumper and now one of the base coaches for Polish Ski Federation, was asked – ofc in a humorous manner – by the host if the top jumpers ever do any acts of pettiness towards their opponents before their jumps, like kicking someone in their ankle (again, it wasn't serious) because in football or volleyball for example it isn't uncommon to act provocatively towards your rivals. Biegun responded that while he cannot speak for everyone, being in the WC for quite some time and living amongst other top jumpers, he personally never witnessed or heard of such a thing. Biegun said there's always a huge amount of respect for the competition and acts of violence wouldn't really help anyone's case. I added in my thoughts that it could potentially be a reason for injury or worse, a terrible accident on the hill so it would be reckless.

and then I remembered when Andi Wellinger destroyed his chance of winning the first RawAir edition in his very last jump, ending up in tears and Kamil Stoch came up to him and gave him a hug we all need in our lives because it would put the broken pieces of us together.

and of course when tearful Anže brought in a cardboard copy of Dawid Kubacki on the podium and made this entire end–of–season flower ceremony about him and kept shedding tears during all interviews.

I think ski jumping has a level of respect not many other sports have.

and these two actions are my Roman Empire

[itsme-the-villagekid]

As a german ski jumping fan (basically since birth) can someone pls tell me HOW IN GODS NAME AM I SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE TODAYS COMPETITION???!!!

I desperatly want an Wellinger Win….help

[mystories2012]

Darkness and then there is Stephan Leyhe

shining-glowstick here is the Fan fic you wished for :) I hope you like it.

This plays after the competition.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He stood there. Feeling empty. He didn’t even hear the hymn that was played for Ryoyo Kobayashi who just won his 3. Golden eagle. His head was empty. Everything felt heavy. After everything was done, he went on with the interviews. He listened to them. Praising him for how good he jumped, what a Tournee this was, and how frilling it had been to watch him. He smiled but it wasn’t really a happy one. When he had his last interview over, all Andi could think of was his bed, a pillow, and some time alone. His teammates waited at the hotel for him and congratulated him again. He thanked them. They knew. Nobody asked him if they wanted to celebrate the victory and he was thankful for that. So, he just walked past them and went to his and Stephan's room. Tired Andi throw himself on the bed. Not even the light he had put on. All he could do was turn onto his left side, facing the wall, and blankly stare at it. His head started spinning. Thoughts came up.

Why didn’t it work? He started so well. Why couldn’t he go until the end? Could it be, that he was too bad? What if everybody started to hate him? What if Stephan started to hate him too?

Stephan was his rock that one person, who he could rely on. What if he thought he was weak? Somebody that can't go through with things. A looser.

Of course, he was one. He lost the Four Hills tournament. He failed. Yes, he was a failure. Nothing more. A failure that is too stupid to win against another jumper.

Andis thoughts were going on and on and didn’t seem to stop. Or maybe he didn’t want them. Maybe he didn’t because they were true. He started to feel the tears streaming down his face. “Stop crying, you idiot”, his inner voice told him. “This is your own fault”. The next voice sounded like Stephans. His eyes got big. “What?”. How could his best friend say something like this? No wait, this was his head telling him this. Why couldn’t they shut up and leave him alone? Everything started to feel more and more chaotic. His head hurt and his eyes were burning.

Another sentence popped up:

How stupid was I to believe I could win?

“You are not stupid”. He jolted and his body spun around to see who just spoke. In the middle of the room stood nobody less than his roommate and best friend Stephan Leyhe. He looked tired and even had a few tears in his eyes. Why he couldn’t understand. Before he could say or do anything he turned around again and stared blankly at the wall in front of him. He heard somebody move closer. Andi could feel the tears that started to come again. He sniffled. “Andi I… Let me help you”. Andi didn’t turn around. “Please. It hurts me to see you like this”. Now he had him. Andi turned around and looked with glassy, red eyes at his friend. “Why do you care. Everybody hates me”. His voice was raspy. Stephan's eyes got big. Very big. “What are you talking about?”. “I lost Stephan. I couldn’t bring him home. My jumps were too bad. I had it right in my hand and I lost it. You must be all disappointed in me. I am a failure. Nothing else”. He turned back around and closed his eyes to concentrate on the pain inside his head. “Andi…”. Stephan didn’t know what to say. He never heard his best friend say something like that before. “You probably hate me too”. Andi's sentence broke his heart in two. Tears started to form and with a shaky voice he said: “Is that what you think of me? That I hate you because you didn’t win? You know I could never hate you. No matter what”. “Why can’t you hate me? I am a nobody”. “You are somebody. Why are you talking so low of yourself?”, Stephans voice was still shaking. “I am a failure. Everybody tells me how thankful they are, that I made it so adventurous and thrilling to watch but, in the end, I was a huge disappointment”. “Stop saying that you are a disappointment!”. Stephan's voice got louder. “Why don’t you hate me!?”. “BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT. I love you so much and it hurts me to see you like this. I hate hearing you saying all that. Because it is not true. You definitely aren't. We've known each other for 11 years now and I can confirm that you have the biggest heart of all. You are a good listener, you are always ready to do anything for someone, and you help without hesitation. You are super smart, never stop smiling, always brighten up the room, when you enter, you never lose your nerve, and above all, you never give up. And those are the best qualities you can have. As I said in the interview in Innsbruck: If someone can do this, it's you. Your time will come. I know it”. Andi turned when Stephan spoke again: “Nobody is perfect Andi. Not me, not you. If I know something for sure, it's that you are my world, and that will never change. You are the most important person in my life. I am sooo proud of you”. Andi stared at him and just now noticed Stephan's wet face. He cried. Andi didn’t want to see him cry. He reached out and cupped Stephan's face to dry it off. Stephan leaned into that and before Andi could really think anymore, he grabbed his best friend, over before he kissed him. Stephan eyes got big before he kissed back. He stopped when he felt tears rolling down his cheek. It wasn’t his. Andi had started crying. Stephan laid down next to him. He pulled him next to himself and started to make circles on his back. His best friend snuggled into him. After a while, he heard deep breaths that were Insync. Stephan sadly looked down at his friend, whose face was swollen from all the tears. “I love you so much”. With that sentence said, he slowly and carefully placed himself right before drifting off to a dreamless sleep.

[omi-om]

I would love an unpredictable 4hills where you don't know who wins until the end

[skijumping-lover]

Anders Fannemel, Vierschanzentournee Innsbruck

[giraffenbichler]

Tommy is trying to enchant the wind

[jump-and-fly-far]

I was hella stressed and i didn't even care who wins 😂👏🏼

[ginger-katze]

Sevi side eye

[change-universe]

The best team!

From Robert Johansson's instagram

[lewanarta]

Four Hills Tournament 2023/24 - podium:

Ryoyu Kobayashi 🇯🇵

Andreas Wellinger 🇩🇪

Stefan Kraft 🇦🇹

[dadlezal]

Anže Lanišek saying in Polish Eurosport that his second jump “was with more cojones” and then wishing happy new year to the interviewer (as the only person to do so) is my fav moment of the competition

[itsme-the-villagekid]

do ya‘ll think there‘s enough time for me to master wind summoning before the competition starts?

[thereisalwayshope]

filmed Andi's first jump :)

[omi-om]

Good thing there's a 2 day break or I would die from all those emotions

[skijumping-lover]

Daniel Andre Tande, Innsbruck, 03.01.2023