Seven things you should know before the season 2022/23

The World Cup 2022/23 begins this weekend in Wisla, Poland. It will be a unique and
undoubtedly very long season. Many new things will happen. A good reason to be excited!
Check what is worth knowing before the inauguration at Adam-Malysz-hill.
1) It will be the first-ever World Cup competition held on plastic matting
The World Cup opener will be held exceptionally early this season as the first competitions
both for men and ladies in Wisla is scheduled on Saturday, the 5th of November. The
circumstances encouraged FIS to take an unprecedented decision. The event is going to
be held in a hybrid mode. Athletes will land on a plastic matting used normally in summer
events for the first time in World Cup history. The inrun tracks will be iced as always during
the winter season, however.

2) It will be the longest World Cup season ever
The season will start on the 4th of November with a qualification round in Wisla. The first
competition is going to take place the following day. The traditional grande finale is
scheduled for the 2nd of April in Planica, Slovenia. Both, the opener and the final will be
held exceptionally early and exceptionally late. The season 2022/23 will last almost five
months – exactly 149 days and it will be the longest ever in World Cup history dating back
to 1979/1980.

3) It will be the first World Cup season held on three different continents after 14
years
The pre-Olympic competitions held in 2009 in Whistler, Canada, were the last World Cup
competitions in North America. Then, only European and Asian events took place. It will
change the upcoming winter as the events in Lake Placid, USA, are listed in the calendar.
The circuit will come back to the United States after 19 years. In 2004, when the jumpers
competed in Park City, Japan's Noriaki Kasia was the best. Moreover, Lake Placid has not
hosted the World Cup event since 1990.

4) New event will be included this season 
The Super Team competition is something new in the men's World Cup calendar. The
format was tested last summer in Rasnov, Romania. All the participating nations are
eligible to set up two-athlete teams. The Super Team race will make its debut in Lake
Placid and another event will happen the following weekend in Rasnov.

5) Women will fly for the first time in a competition
A women's competition on the flying hill will be held for the first time ever this season.
Ladies are going to take part in a special event in the middle of March in Vikersund,
Norway. The fifteen highest-ranked athletes in the Raw Air standing, who are over
eighteen, will fly at the famous Vikersundbakken. However, there will be no World Cup
points awarded. Still, there is a chance to set a new World Cup record. The unofficial one
belongs to Daniela Iraschko-Stolz so far. Legendary athlete of Austria jumped on 200
meters in 2003 in Tauplitz/Bad Mitterndorf.

6) Ryoyu Kobayashi might be the first athlete with two consecutive World Cup
Overall wins after 18 years 
Janne Ahonen was the last man to win the World Cup Overall twice in a row. Finland's
legend claimed the Crystal Globe in 2004 and 2005. Earlier, Adam Malysz of Poland
dominated as he became the first-ever athlete to top the World Cup Overall for three
consecutive seasons. Then none of the jumpers was able to reach back-to-back Crystal
Globes. As Ryoyu Kobayashi achieved it the previous winter, he is the only one who can
catch up with Ahonen and Malysz.

7) More points for tailwind 
The compensation system was introduced in the season 2009/2010 to make competitions
fairer and smoother. It is constantly improved. From this season on, there will be more
points added for jumping with an averaged tailwind. The compensation was raised by 50%
compared to the previous rules.