Eight daring contestants, four different jumps, one tour. To cap off this wild year, we present you with an unparalleled sporting event: the Galaxus Four Hills tournament.
We're revolutionising ski jumping. No boring flights, no perfect landings, just pure action. There will be accidents, drama, unexpected twists and rivalries among the competitors. But that's not all – to ensure an even more dynamic spectacle, the jumpers will be leaving their skis at home and will instead be rattling down the slopes on four wheels.
The Galaxus Four Hills tournament will take place on four different days on four different hills. Each event will be publicised here on Galaxus and on our YouTube channel.
29 December in Oberstdorf
The tour will start with the opening jump on 29 December 2020 in Oberstdorf, Bavaria. Although a winner won't yet be determined at the Allgäu spa resort, last place is definitely up for grabs.
January 1 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Our second stop on the tour is on New Year's Day, January 1 2021, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The tourist resort at the foot of the Zugspitze attracts both holidaymakers and top athletes thanks to its alpine splendour. A special feature for this event is the double jump, where two contestants compete simultaneously to achieve the longest distance.
January 3 in Innsbruck
Almost 100 years after the first Bergisel jumping event, the Galaxus Four Hills tournament will make its third stop in Innsbruck on January 3, 2021. Here the first favourites for the tournament victory will make themselves felt before once again giving it their all in the final round.
6 January in Bischofshofen
The (in)famous «Dreikönigsspringen», the final event in the Galaxus Four Hills Tournament, will take place on January 6, 2021 in Bischofshofen. This small village in the heart of the Salzburg region is home to the highest and longest ski jump of the entire competition. Losing is not an option in the final, every competitor wants to get on that magnificent podium.
Eight different jumpers from different nations have dared to enter the gauntlet. Some are seasoned veterans, others have just started their careers. In terms of age, weight and origin, the opponents could hardly be more different.
Name: Jan Schäfer
Country: Germany
Vehicle: Porsche 934
Weight: 41 grams
Sponsor: Kärcher
Jan Schäfer is the youngest descendant of a winter sports dynasty. His sister Simone is one of the best German downhill racers of all time and has already taken home several gold medals. His father Ulrich was a virtuoso on ice and revolutionised figure skating in a formative way. His late grandfather Ulrich Senior is still known to most Germans as a pioneer of bobsleighing.
Name: Hayato Takahashi
Country: Japan
Vehicle: home-made
Weight: 32 grams
Sponsor: -
Japan offers not only a unique landscape and excellent culinary delights, but also Hayato Takahashi. The young up-and-comer from Hokkaido will make his debut at the Four Hills tournament this year. Hayato has very little experience on the international circuit, but he's a daredevil and makes up for it with hard training. A promising talent from whom we can expect a lot in the coming years. His wife and faithful companion, Asuka Takahashi, has travelled with him from Japan.
Name: Bartosz Nowak
Country: Poland
Vehicle: Ford Bronco
Weight: 37 grams
Sponsor: Salewa
As a teenager, Bartosz Nowak was determined to become a chef. His favourite dish: his grandmother's pierogi. But fate had other plans and took away his taste buds in an accident. Fortunately, Bartosz' tremendous athletic talent has given him a new calling. When it comes to winter sports, hardly anyone can hold a candle to him. In addition to ski jumping, he's also a gifted athlete in cross-country skiing and the biathlon.
Name: Anton Wagner
Country: Austria
Vehicle: VW Beetle
Weight: 33 grams
Sponsor: -
The Austrian Anton Wagner is a veteran of the sport as well as a living legend. He was already jumping off ski jumps slopes back when the Iron Curtain was still intact. Despite his advanced age, the gifted athlete is sprightly when it counts. Year after year, however, he's had to watch the young guard beat his old records. This year will probably mark his last tournament.
Name: Pirmin Caviezel
Country: Switzerland
Vehicle: Lotus Esprit
Weight: 29 grams
Sponsor: Garmin
Pirmin Caviezel is also known as the Rhaetian Lightning from the Swiss Alps. He's the lightest jumper in our tournament and relies completely on aerodynamics. However, his light weight could also be Pirmin's undoing, as the smallest bumps in the slope or slight weather complications make him more vulnerable than his somewhat heavier competitors.
Name: José Luis Ramirez
Country: Mexico
Vehicle: Chevrolet El Camino
Weight: 38 grams
Sponsor: -
There are hardly any winter athletes from Mexico. José Luis Ramirez will therefore carry the dreams of an entire nation. He's the first Mexican who could win a medal for his country at the Winter Olympics. Since José still has no sponsors and receives little financial help from the government, the trained car mechanic is a one-man show. He has no coach or assistants.
Name: Mason Brown
Country: USA
Vehicle: Dodge Charger
Weight: 62 grams
Sponsor: Panasonic
The all-American taxi driver from New York, Mason Brown, is an absolute heavyweight. He weighs more than twice as much as the Swiss competition. Instead of aerodynamics, Mason relies on solid steel. Aside from solid training, weight is a central factor at the Four Hills tournament. Whether Mason miscalculated here or knows exactly how to use his weight perfectly remains to be seen.
Name: Sir William Jones
Country: United Kingdom
Vehicle: Land Rover Defender
Weight: 49 grams
Sponsor: -
Inspired by Michael «Eddie the Eagle» Edwards, William Jones started his career as a ski jumper at the age of five. He is one of the finest athletes jolly old England has ever produced and is a strong supporter of social projects and the promotion of young talent. The Liverpool native has earned much praise for his success off the slopes and was knighted by the Queen last year.
As a reward for reading this far, you can win one of two Galaxus vouchers worth 200.–. Choose which of the eight jumpers you think will win the Galaxus Four Hills tournament overall ranking. You can vote until the competition starts in Oberstdorf on 29 December 2020. The two winners will be determined randomly after the final jump in Bischofshofen on January 6, 2021 and notified by mail.
Which jumper will win the Galaxus Four Hills tournament?
The competition has ended.
Riding my motorbike makes me feel free, fishing brings out my inner hunter, using my camera gets me creative. I make my money messing around with toys all day.