Four Hills Tournament: Four hills, four perspectives

The Four Hills Tournament brings together four venues that differ noticeably up close. At Schattenberg, the ski-jumping stadium lies on the edge of Oberstdorf, while in Garmisch-Partenkirchen it is located at Gudiberg. Bergisel stands above Innsbruck, and Bischofshofen adds the long approach of the Paul-Außerleitner-Schanze. You can experience the same sport in four very differently shaped settings.

You do not have to follow the entire tournament for one trip. A carefully chosen competition can reveal more than a rushed journey from one stadium to the next. We recommend choosing your preferred perspective first: flight path, landing or the connection with the town. Then plan your journey and accommodation.

The hill size helps put things into context, but it does not determine the best viewing position on its own. Two venues with the same hill size can look very different from your area. The terrain and viewing direction remain important. Compare the available position on the stadium map before choosing a venue based solely on the largest number.

Hill size describes the size of a ski jump based on a defined point on the landing slope. The figure is neither the length of the approach nor a guaranteed jumping distance. For choosing your viewing position, the viewing direction is therefore at least as important as the measurement. A location near the outrun shows the landing differently from a side-on view of the flight path.

According to the organiser, the large Schattenbergschanze in Oberstdorf has a hill size of 137 metres. The stadium lies on the eastern edge of the town. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the tournament website gives the large Olympiaschanze a hill size of 142 metres. The two German venues therefore have different profiles, even though they belong to the same competition.

At Bergisel, the published hill size is 128 metres. The venue was modernised in 2002 to a design by Zaha Hadid and shapes the view over Innsbruck. Bischofshofen follows with the Paul-Außerleitner-Schanze and 142 metres. The long approach through the terrain gives this venue its own spatial character.

The first tournament began in 1953 with the New Year’s competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Oberstdorf was the second venue that year, followed by Innsbruck and Bischofshofen. The organiser describes this early order in its history. It is a small but important correction to the familiar image of the opening event at Schattenberg.

The modern sequence begins in Oberstdorf and continues via Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Austria. This creates several changes of location for spectators. The venues do not form one continuous holiday region with a shared daily starting point. Anyone who wants to see everything must also plan for luggage, return journeys and rest periods between visits.

We would only make the entire tournament the focus of a travel itinerary if the stadium days were the clear priority. For a winter holiday with your own days on the slopes, one venue is often enough. Skipping the other venues gives you time to get to know your chosen location in more detail. A good trip does not have to follow the competition in full.

For spectators, a jump often begins with the athlete’s position on the approach. This is followed by take-off, flight and landing before the athlete moves into the outrun. Different areas offer different views of this sequence. Before choosing your ticket, consider which part interests you most and check the official stadium map.

Our suggestion for a first visit is an area with a clear view of the landing slope and outrun. There, you can compare several landings in the same place. A particularly long jump alone does not explain the quality of a jump. The connection between flight and landing is more informative to observe than trying to interpret every distance immediately as a definite success.

Being close to the slope has its limits. A place right at the bottom does not necessarily provide a clear view of the entire approach. Conversely, a side-on perspective may show the reactions in the outrun less clearly. The largest venue is therefore not automatically the best choice for your first visit. Accessibility and the view you want can determine your decision.

In Oberstdorf, head for Schattenberg, not the cross-country skiing centre in Ried. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the ski-jumping venue is at Gudiberg; the Kandahar finish area is a different destination. The tournament website describes Kainzenbad station as a special access option for the event. Check its service in the current railway timetable before relying on it.

For Innsbruck, the local tournament organisation lists the access routes to Bergisel. A regular sightseeing day and a competition day may require different routes. In Bischofshofen, rail travel is one of the options named by the organiser; you will still need to clarify the walk to the correct stadium entrance. At no venue should you rely solely on the place name shown on the ticket.

Begin your accommodation search with one decision: should the daily journey to the slopes or to the viewing area be short? For Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, plan your own day on the slopes as a separate trip.