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Four-Hills Tournament Set to Open With Prevc as Front-Runner and Kobayashi in Pursuit

With tightened suit rules reshaping form, Germany looks to Philipp Raimund and Felix Hoffmann to end a 24-year wait.

Overview

  • Qualification in Oberstdorf is scheduled for 28 December before competitions on 29 December, 1 January, 4 January and 6 January across the four traditional venues.
  • Germany named a nine-man roster for Oberstdorf and Garmisch using a national group, with places cut to five for the Austrian stages based on early results.
  • World Cup leader Domen Prevc enters as clear favorite after five wins in six starts, with three-time overall champion Ryoyu Kobayashi leading the challengers.
  • Experts say stricter suit regulations after last season’s scandal have shifted the competitive balance, aiding Raimund’s style and complicating form for Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger.
  • The DSV will award full qualification prize money to women at the Two-Nights Tour, as plans for a four-hill women’s event in December 2026 await final steps including Innsbruck floodlights and FIS calendar approval.