The 16th edition of the FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping will begin Saturday, 8th August 2009 in Hinterzarten (GER) with a team event that will be held as a night competition. This represents the 11th time that Hinterzarten hosts the opening competition of this traditional summer highlight event series.

Sunday's individual competition in Hinterzarten will kick off the 4th so-called ‘Four-Nations-Grand-Prix' which includes competitions in Hinterzarten (GER), Pragelato (ITA), Courchevel (FRA), and Einsiedeln (SUI). There will again be a special points ranking for the Four-Nations and other prizes.
Traditionally, the Grand Prix in Ski Jumping has given a good indication of the form for the upcoming season. The last four winners each went on to win the overall World Cup the following winter, such as the 2008 winner Gregor Schlierenzauer (World Cup winner 2008/09), 2007 winner Thomas Morgenstern (World Cup winner 2007/08), 2006 winner Adam Malysz (World Cup winner 2006/07) and 2005 winner Jakub Janda (World Cup winner 2005/2006).

Taking advantage of the synergies of organizing both tournaments simultaneously, the Nordic Combined Summer Grand Prix will also commence in Hinterzarten on Saturday 8th August 2009, to be followed by competition in Val di Fiemme (ITA) on 10th August, in Oberstdorf (GER) on 13th August and concluding together with Ski Jumping in Einsiedeln on 15th August.

Both Grand Prix series will also pilot the proposed Ski Jumping rule changes for the 2009/2010 season. The background for this pilot phase is the fundamental rule requiring each jumper to have the same inrun length during any given competition round. Under the proposed new rules, the influence of the two main factors (wind and inrun speed) can be evaluated and standardized. Using a new formula, they would allow the jury to change the length of the inrun without requiring a restart of the entire competition round despite a change in the external conditions.

FIS news
6.08.2009

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