For the best ski jumpers in the world, the 2022 Grand Prix begins with the qualification on July 22. A total of 5 events with 9 competitions are on the men’s calendar this summer and four (7 competitions) on the women’s calendar.
The calendars
Women and men will compete together, with one exception (Hinzenbach / AUT). In Hinzenbach only the men will be competing, a women’s World Cup will be held there in winter. Due to the cancellation of events in Russia and Kazakhstan, there are fewer competitions on the calendar than in previous years.
Ski Jumping Grand Prix calendar
Grand Prix titleholders
In 2021, Slovenian Ursa Bogataj won the Grand Prix superiorly with 600 points ahead of Sara Takanashi (JPN) and Marita Kramer (AUT). In the men’s ranking, Norway’s Halvor Egner Granerud (380 points) won ahead of David Kubacki (POL / 242 points) and Austria’s Jan Hoerl.
Favorites 2022
As always, it is difficult, almost impossible, to predict who will win the Grand Prix overall ranking. Nobody knows where he stands compared to the international opponents, in the summer, competitions are sometimes skipped. The Grand Prix overall ranking is not as important as, for example, the World Cup in winter. But of course, the Grand Prix in summer is still important: World Cup winners are finally made in summer.
New rules
In spring, some rule changes were made by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (formerly International Ski Federation, which was also renamed in spring). Besides some minor changes, fans can especially look forward to the premiere of the Super Team Event.
Super Team Event / 2 athletes – 3 runs
You will see this format as a premiere during the Grand Prix weekend in Rasnov (ROU). In the Super Team Event, only two athletes per nation will form a team, not four as usual. There will be one team per nation.
The competition consists of three rounds. In the first round, all registered teams are eligible to compete. After the first round, only the best 12 teams are qualified for the second round. After the second round, the best eight (8) teams are then qualified for the final.
Initially, this is only a one-time test and there will be only one men’s competition on September 18 in Rasnov (ROU).
This is how many points the top 8 teams will score for the Nations Cup:
1st place = 200 points 5th place = 100 points
2nd place = 175 points 6th place = 75 points
3rd place = 150 points 7th place = 50 points
4th place = 125 points 8th place = 25 points
Brand new: the body measurement
In order to precisely determine the crotch measurement, which is so important for the suit cut, and all other relevant body measurements, all athletes will be measured digitally in the future, both lying down and sitting up. Up to now, the measurement was carried out analog and while standing up.
Hinterzarten not yet ready for international competitions
Because the delayed reconstruction of the Adlerschanze in Hinterzarten is not yet finished, the Grand Prix opener will not take place in the Black Forest as planned, but in Poland (Wisla). In 2023, a Grand Prix event will be held in Hinterzarten again. The women will already hold their traditional World Cup in Hinterzarten in winter.
More prize money in winter
Across all disciplines, the FIS decided in July that the World Cup prize money will be increased by 10% starting in the upcoming season.
The men will then get 71.800,- CHF + 7.180,- CHF prize money per individual competition. For the women, it will be 25.194,- CHF + 2.519,- CHF.
This decision has no influence on the competitions in summer.
No longer competing / Good Bye
We will not see these athletes at the start anymore, all of them have ended their careers after last winter:
Viktor Polasek (CZE)
Richard Freitag (GER)
Daiki Iko (JPN)
Andreas Schuler (SUI)
Severin Freund (GER)
Andreas Alamommo (FIN)
Spela Rogelj (SLO)
Nina Lussi (USA)
And one more piece of good news at the very end:
After two winters and summers with significant restrictions due to Covid-19, the Grand Prix in Poland will start without restrictions. Wearing a mask is of course recommended, but it is not mandatory.
