Recap: Four Hills thrills during ‘epic’ Golden Eagle chase

“Unbelievable,” “indescribable” and “simply amazing” are just a few of the emotive responses used by ski jumping legends to describe one of the most intense and incredible climaxes in the history of the 73-year-old FIS Four Hills Tournament.

Daniel Tschofenig, who had trailed in fifth heading into the final round of the final contest in Bischofshofen (AUT), pulled off a remarkable comeback to claim victory.

Rivals – as well as team-mates – Jan Hoerl and previous leader Stefan Kraft, who finished second and third respectively, both missed key late opportunities to win themselves.

However, that though is only a snapshot of the 2024/25 Four Hills campaign, which delivered four breath-taking contests and culminated in a first Austrian winner for a decade.

“It was an amazing Four Hills Tournament, with so many outstanding jumps,” states 2002 Olympic champion, turned commentator and analyst Martin Schmitt.

“The battle between the team-mates between Kraft, Hoerl and Tschofenig was entertaining but also a great example of what the sport can deliver.”

Here, the FIS Ski Jumping team takes a look at some of the key results and reactions during one of the most memorable Four Hills contests, of all-time.

DANIEL TSCHOFENIG – 2024/25 Four Hills winner:

“Inwardly, I knew I had a chance of making (winning) the Tour, that was already clear in Engelberg (SUI),” recalls Tschofenig of his first and second-place finishes ahead of the Four Hills. “(But) I didn’t really want to admit it. I knew I had to jump well to do it.”

By coincidence, Tschofenig made his World Cup debut on the same Paul Ausserleitner HS142 Hill, in 2021, from which he would claim a maiden Four Hills title four years later.

He had finished 30^th on his international bow, before going on to underline his status as a potential future star of the sport by claiming three gold medals at the 2022 World Junior Championships.

European Games gold followed in 2023, before the talented Austrian landed his first World Cup crown, early in the 2024/25 season, with a win in Wisla (POL).

After two further podium finishes, including another victory in Engelberg, Tschofenig entered the Four Hills Tournament having recorded seven top-three finishes from ten World Cup races. He placed fourth in two of the three races in which he did not reach the podium.

The 22-year-old was therefore well-placed to be a strong contender for the prestigious Golden Eagle trophy, but after placing third in the opening event in Oberstdorf (GER) – and ranking 11.5 points behind leader Kraft, the ski jumper began to doubt his prospects.

“Oberstdorf was such a start that I wrote it off,” he says. “I told myself it was over.”

Three days later, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER), he celebrated the new year with a third win of the season and a victory which reignited his Four Hills prospects and temporarily put him top of the standings.

The yellow bib would soon be back in the hands of 2014/15 Four Hills winner and reigning Crystal Globe champion Kraft though after he won the third round in Innsbruck, with Tsochofenig “saved” by a successful fight for third.

He feared his prospects looked no better in Bischofshofen after struggling in training, placing fourth in qualifying and showing little prospect of producing an event-winning distance during the pre-competition trial run.

“I have to be honest; I didn’t think I had a chance,” admits Tschofenig. “I was struggling, I didn’t know what to do and when we tried new things it just didn’t work.”

He was fifth in the opening round before “something clicked” and he delivered a stunning second round performance to secure victory.

“It’s really indescribable,” said Tschofenig, after becoming the first Austrian to lift the Golden Eagle trophy in a decade.

His girlfriend, Canadian World champion Alexandria Loutitt, made a ‘quick’ 141km dash across Austria following the conclusion of her World Cup event in Villach, to support Tschofening in Bischofshofen.

“So glad I got to be there to support you I’m incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved, and this Austrian team performance was out of this world,” she wrote on social media.

Tschofenig later added his own post, stating that winning his first Four Hills title felt “unbelievable” and he went on to pay tribute to his countrymen.

“Thank you to the whole team and especially Stefan Kraft and Jan Hoerl for the close and fair fight until the end.”

JAN HOERL - 2024/25 Four Hills, second:

“Bittersweet Four Hills,” Hoerl wrote on social media. “I was able to perform extraordinary, but sometimes it’s all about centimetres.”

Heading into the finale, the ‘battle of Bischofshofen’, Hoerl had the chance to repeat what three-time winner Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) achieved last season, by claiming the Four Hills title without attaining an individual title at one of the four stages.

However, he clearly wanted to round-off three strong performances with a crowning glory.

The 26-year-old, had twice topped the standings in qualification, but placed second, fifth and second again come the conclusion of the main rounds, putting him 0.6 points behind then leader Kraft heading into the final contest.

Hoerl, who was part of the Austrian line-up, with Kraft, which claimed Olympic Team Large Hill gold at Beijing 2022, had topped the podium twice during the regular 2024/25 World Cup season, in Lillehammer (NOR) and Engelberg (SUI).

That gave him confidence before taking to the hill in Bischofshofen, as did the knowledge he had won the third leg of the Four Hills in Innsbruck 12 months earlier.

His qualification run did not go according to plan though, placing sixth, although Hoerl’s first round jump was much improved, ranking him third and 2.1 points behind leader Kraft.

In truth, his jump of 143m, which was 2.5m further than Tschofenig achieved in the second round, would likely have been enough to move into the lead, had it not been for a slight slip during the telemark landing.

That saw him lose valuable points and ultimately finish 2.1pts behind the winner in second, with Kraft a further 3.3 back in the all-Austrian top-three.

“For the team this result is an incredible success and a big thank you to everyone who works so hard in the background,” Hoerl wrote on social media. “A huge thanks to all the fans in the stadiums and at home you are amazing!”

“I am sure in a few days I'll realize how great my performance was and I will be very proud.”

STEFAN KRAFT – 2024/25 Four Hills, third:

“We knew that the final will be thrilling, but hard to find words for the ending,” Kraft wrote on social media following the Four Hills finale. “Of course, I’m disappointed, but the feelings over these days were magic.”

Given the Beijing 2022 Olympic Team Large Hill gold medalist was leading, if by a slender margin of just 0.6 points, heading into the last stage of the Four Hills contest it was understandable that analysts were contemplating how Kraft would handle the ‘pressure’.

‘Sometimes it’s easier to the hunter rather than the hunted’ remarked one former champion ahead of the Bischofshofen World Cup, but remember Kraft had won this event before.

Back in 2014/15 the Austrian marked his significant ‘break through’ season with the Four Hills crown, winning the first leg, placing sixth in the second, and then completing the tournament with two successive runner-up positions, to attain the overall title.

Ten years on, the now three-time Crystal Globe winner, had been even stronger, with two wins heading into the last race and even his nation’s former Grand Slam tennis champion Dominic Thiem, who knows Kraft well, was backing him to deliver.

“Together with football and tennis it (ski jumping) is my favorite sport and I’m like a little kid at Christmas, he said before the action began. “Who will win? It’s a tough question, but I think I’m going with Kraft, I’ve known him the longest and he’s the oldest.”

Experience is often crucial in high-pressure situations and true to that, Kraft was the lead performer in the first round, 1.4 points ahead of second-placed Maximilian Ortner. 

It short, it was his to lose, but as so often in this sport despite the best-efforts of the officials, the weather conditions would have an impact on the outcome.

After Ortner, the penultimate athlete, had jumped from the hill Kraft was ready at the gate, aiming to deliver a winning performance. 

However, at that moment the weather changed and keen to ensure he had conditions close to those experienced by his rivals, the jury temporarily halted the competition.

Over 10 minutes had passed before he was cleared to jump, but while the conditions had improved Kraft did not face quite the same wind speeds and directions which his opponents had experienced earlier.

The Austrian was also, as he would later reveal, suffering a little extra fatigue in his legs given the additional time spent waiting in the cold, in his kit, at the top of the hill before being cleared to jump.

Tschofenig had landed 140.5m, Hoerl 143m and anything close to that with a decent landing would have secured him a second career Four Hills title. 

However, Hoerl would manage just 137.5m and his points total of 148.4 ranked him eighth for the round and saw him slip to third on the night and in the overall Four Hills standings.

The 31-year-old cursed his “bad luck” after the event and was critical of some decisions taken by officials, but he ultimately was full of praise for his team-mates.

“It’s not funny to wait for 15 minutes up there in the boots and shoes as that’s not good for the legs,” reflected Kraft, who stated his final round was “quite a solid jump” despite the conditions.

“It’s an outdoor sport, it (the weather) is part of it. You just need a bit of luck to succeed and win the tour.

“Of course, it’s a bitter blow for me now, but of course for it’s crazy what our team achieved.

Kraft concluded a social media post with “Thanks for this epic fight Jan Hoerl and (Daniel) Tschofenig. Congrats.”

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup – What is next?

After a weekend off the field will reconvene in Zakopane (POL), with the Wielka Krokiew HS140 becoming the tenth different host hill to hold a men’s 2024/25 World Cup contest.

As with previous events outside of the Four Hills Tournament program it will be a World Cup double-header, providing athletes with two opportunities to secure key points in the chase for this season’s Crystal Globe honor.

It will also provide athletes with another key opportunity to sharpen their skills and experiment with race setups ahead of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, which take place in Trondheim, Norway, from 26 Feb to 9 March 2025.