Oberstdorf (Germany) (AFP)

A first in the Four Springboards Tour: the 69th edition of this prestigious ski jumping event in Germany and Austria will be contested from Tuesday in front of empty stands due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has already been right hopes of victory for the Polish favorites.

They are usually tens of thousands gathered, from the qualifications and often in bitter cold, at the foot of the jumps in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen.

In an atmosphere of fair to the sound of the latest schlager hits (local variety), from Germany, Austria, Poland or even Norway, they encourage with piercing cries and "Ziiieeeh!"

for German-speaking jumpers, as if to extend their flight.

But, Covid-19 and health restrictions oblige, spectators will be absent from the 2020-21 Tour.

"It's a shame, something is going to be missing, in normal times we have the impression of jumping on a football stadium," said German Markus Eisenbichler, who won three of the four titles at stake at the 2019 Worlds.

"The spectators are an integral part of the myth that is the Tour", adds the Austrian Stefan Kraft who in 2015 won the Grail of ski jumping, created in 1953.

- Unusual silence -

But even if there will be only a hundred cardboard figurines, to fill at the demand of TV broadcasters (7 million German viewers followed the last competition in 2019-20) the gaps in the first rows of the stands , although the competitions will take place in an unusual silence, it is the relief that predominates among the athletes and the organizers.

They felt they had to give up their flagship event of the winter, which takes place in four stages in two countries and over ten days, with trips made by hundreds of jumpers, coaches, technicians and officials.

Because Germany has been since mid-December, and until January 10, in partial confinement to deal with a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, synonymous with the closure of non-essential businesses.

Because Austria has established since December 26, and until January 24, a third general confinement with a curfew now applying all day.

As on the World Cup circuit, a strict health protocol applies during the Tour.

Jumpers must undergo tests before each competition and any positive case results in the exclusion of the entire team of the jumper concerned.

This is the mishap that has happened to Poland, the flagship nation of the discipline which has won with Kamil Stoch (2017 and 2018) and Dawid Kubacki (2020) three of the last four editions of the event.

- Without Stoch or Kubacki -

As Klemens Muranka has tested positive, his Polish teammates, including Stoch who in 2017 became only the second in history to win all four competitions in the same edition, are considered contact cases and will miss the first competition in Oberstdorf on Tuesday. or even on the second Friday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

These are with Stoch and Kubacki, placed in quarantine, two candidates declared for the coronation who have lost all hope of appearing well.

This could do the business of German Karl Geiger who, after testing positive for coronavirus on December 16 a few days after his world title in ski flight, was given the green light to line up.

The last victory of a German in the "Tour" dates back to 2002, which is to say an eternity, and the absence of spectators could ultimately be providential for the German jumpers.

"It's not a disadvantage, far from it, the pressure (from the spectators) is so strong", recalled the former coach of the German team, Werner Schuster.

Program of the 69th edition of the Four Springboard Tour:

Tuesday: first competition in Oberstdorf (Germany)

Friday: second competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany)

Sunday: third competition in Innsbruck (Austria)

Wednesday January 6: fourth and last competition in Bischofshofen (Austria)

The last five winners:

2016: Peter Prevc (SLO)

2017: Kamil Stoch (POL)

2018: Kamil Stoch (POL)

2019: Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN)

2020: Dawid Kubacki (POL)

© 2020 AFP