The second individual event of the Women's Ski Jumping World Cup, held in Engelberg, Switzerland, faced cancellation on Sunday, December 17, 2023, due to inclement weather conditions. Heavy snowfall and strong winds plagued the event, leading to frustration among athletes and event organizers alike.
Initially, everything seemed to be on track as athletes took to the jumps, but the competition was interrupted after 48 out of 55 competitors had their chance to fly. The problems arose when the weather, which had initially calmed after strong winds, took a turn for the worse as snowfall intensified. The event organizers along with the jury worked diligently, attempting to salvage what they could, but the heavy snowfall rendered it impossible to continue as the jumping conditions deteriorated rapidly.
At the time of cancellation, Norwegian jumper Anna Odine Stroem was leading the competition with impressive heights, having cleared 132 meters and scored 126.2 points. Austrian athlete Jacqueline Seifriedsberger followed closely behind her with 128.5 meters and 119.6 points, and Germany's Agnes Reisch stood third with 119 meters and 118.7 points. The growing anticipation surrounding the remaining jumps abruptly transformed to disappointment as athletes like Eirin Maria Kvandal and others were forced to wait for their turns only to discover they would not compete.
DSV-Bundestrainer Heinz Kuttin articulated the situation succinctly when he remarked, "Die Wetterprognose ist zu 100 Prozent eingetroffen. Die Jury und die Helfer sind seit den frühen Morgenstunden da und haben alles versucht, die Schanze wurde auch gesalzen. Aber nach dem Regen und dem Wind kam jetzt diese Schneefront und springen wäre nicht mehr möglich gewesen. Ich finde die Entscheidung vollkommen richtig," meaning the weather predictions had come true, and the tough decision to cancel was justifiable. His statement reflects the reality faced by all competing athletes as well as the event staff who worked tirelessly, from early hours of the day, to try and make the event happen against the elements.
The initial schedule had already seen delays, with the start time bumped from 11:00 AM to later times owing to weather conditions. Despite hopes of resuming the contest, after several postponements, conditions did not improve significantly, leading to the cancellation of not only the current event but also the women's qualifying round.
Although this turn of events was disappointing, the ski jumpers will not linger too long on this setback. The women’s circuit continues with the Two-Nights-Tour, set to take place from December 30, 2023, to January 1, 2024, across Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Oberstdorf. This event will include another qualification round, providing another opportunity for the participating jumpers to showcase their skills and perhaps even find redemption following Engelberg.
Nonetheless, as seen with the challenges encountered this past weekend, the weather remains unpredictable for winter sports and continues to be a significant factor determining the viability of ski jumping events.
