Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany – The disparity between prize money for male and female ski jumpers has come to the forefront during the first events of the Two Nights Tour, which aims to mirror the male-dominated Four Hills Tournament. Amidst this highlighted inequality, German ski jumper Selina Freitag captured attention after her recent winnings.
During her qualifying triumph at the Two Nights Tour, Freitag received not cash prizes but rather personal care items: body wash, shampoo, and towels. "I don’t want to complain too much, but you can see the differences," Freitag stated, expressing her disbelief at the disparity. Meanwhile, Austrian competitor Jan Hörl, who took the top spot among male qualifiers during the Four Hills Tournament, pocketed 3,000 Swiss francs (approximately 3,200 Euros) for his efforts.
Former ski jumping star and current pundit Sven Hannawald could not hide his dismay at this glaring inequality. "That is certainly not worthy of the Two Nights Tour. I don’t know why one allows such things," Hannawald remarked, emphasizing the need for immediate change and fairness within the sport.
The Two Nights Tour functions as a condensed version of the Four Hills Tournament, featuring competitions staged on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at two notable German ski jumping locations, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Oberstdorf. While female competitors are awarded some prize money during World Cup events, these sums pale significantly compared to their male counterparts. For example, women earn about 4,300 Swiss francs for victory, contrasted with 13,000 Swiss francs for men.
Although the overall winner of the Two Nights Tour will take home 10,000 Swiss francs following two jumps, the prize is still dwarfed by the 100,000 Swiss francs awarded to the male champion of the Four Hills Tournament. The latter competition remains exclusively open to men, leaving female athletes yearning for equitable recognition.
According to Hannawald, the current prize distribution fails to reflect the status and importance of women’s ski jumping. "You have to look at what you can get for it on eBay. It’s bitter," he quipped, remarking on the low value placed on female athlete achievements.
The audience turnout for the women’s events has also been significantly lower than for men’s competitions, adding to the challenges faced. At one point, only 3,000 fans remained to witness Freitag and her fellow competitors after 10,000 had gathered for the men's event earlier the same day. Adjustments to engage the audience have been made, including promotional announcements and incentives to keep viewers from leaving, but they still struggle against the larger draw of men’s ski jumping.
Despite these setbacks, Freitag and her fellow athletes remain committed to raising the profile of women’s ski jumping. Their persistence echoes broader calls for equality across sports, pushing for more visibility and recognition. Hannawald stands firm on this issue, stating, "There needs to be growth. Organizing such events is complex and not something you can just do overnight. But change is necessary. Women deserve the same respect, recognition, and prizes as men do."
While Selina Freitag continues to excel and shine on the ski jumping circuit, her focus on advocating for equality remains at the forefront of her ambitions. The challenge lies not only within the sporting arena but also within public perception, media coverage, and structuring competitions to properly value the contributions and efforts of female athletes.