Austria Triumphs in Historic Olympic Men's Super Team Ski Jump Debut
Austria has clinched gold in the first-ever Olympic men's super team ski jumping event, marking its inaugural medal in the sport at the Milan Cortina Games. The competition was notably shortened due to severe weather conditions, with heavy snow and wind leading to the cancellation of the final round.
Event Format and Weather Disruption
The new super team format replaced the traditional four-man team contest on the large hill, featuring teams of two jumpers. Seventeen nations participated in the initial round, with the top twelve advancing to the second round. From there, the best eight teams were set to proceed to the final. However, a sudden snow squall interrupted the competition with only a few skiers remaining for their final jumps, prompting officials to cancel the round. Consequently, the standings from the second round determined the final results.
Medal Standings and Team Performances
Poland secured the silver medal, while Norway earned bronze. Austria's victory served as redemption for the team, which had won the men's team event in Beijing in 2022 but had not reached the podium in these Olympics until now. The Austrian duo comprised Jan Hoerl, a veteran from the 2022 winning team, and Stephan Embacher, competing in his first Olympic Games.
After the first round, Austria led Slovenia, Poland, Germany, and Japan. In the second round, Poland moved into second place, and Norway climbed to third, as Slovenia dropped to fifth.
Notable Athletes and Background Stories
Poland's Kacper Tomasiak, a rookie in his first year on the World Cup circuit, has been a standout surprise at the Olympics, having previously won a silver on the normal hill and a bronze on the large hill. He was paired with Pawel Wasek, whose best Olympic finish was sixth in a team event in 2022.
The Norwegian team featured Johann André Forfang, who had won gold on the large hill and silver on the normal hill in Pyeongchang in 2018 but had struggled in earlier Olympic performances. He was joined by Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, who won silver in the mixed team event at these games.
Forfang was suspended last year in a jumpsuit-tampering scandal that brought embarrassment to Norway, the birthplace of ski jumping. He and teammate Marius Lindvik received three-month suspensions after their coaches and a staff member were caught on camera altering their suits by adding stitching to stiffen the crotch area, which could enhance flight distance. Although neither jumper was charged with knowledge of the manipulation, the International Ski Federation (FIS) stated they should have questioned the adjustments. The involved team leaders were recently banned from the sport for 18 months.
Other Results
The United States team, consisting of Kevin Bickner and Tate Frantz, advanced to the final round but ultimately finished in eighth place.
