Baiersbronn, Schönwald/Schonach and Braunlage are hosting the 11. Ladies Winter Tournee.
The Ladies Winter Tournee, formerly known as Ladies Grand-Prix, is the oldest and most traditional tournament in Ladies Skijumping. It was launched in 1999, just one year after the first Ladies competition ever. In that first year five competitions were hosted in Germany and Austria, in Braunlage, Baiersbronn, Schönwald, Breitenberg and Ramsau. First winner was Sandra Kaiser from Austria. In the following years the Winter Tournee became firmly established and annual competitions were held in Schönwald, Baiersbronn, Breitenberg (Rastbüchl) and Saalfelden. Since the introduction of the Ladies Continental Cup in 2004/05 the Winter Tournee is a part of that greater series.
As Breitenberg and Saalfelden were not hosting Continental Cup events in 2009 anymore, no tournament was held in that year. After Braunlage, where it all started in 1999, returned to the competitions schedule of the 2009/10 season, the 11. Winter Tournee will be held between January 2nd and January 10th. Venues will be Baiersbronn, Schonach (hosted by Ski Club Schönwald) and Braunlage.
Similar to the Four Hills and the Nordic Tournament at the men’s World Cup, the tournament’s overall winner is determined by adding the points of all five competitions. Austria’s Daniela Iraschko and Norway’s Anette Sagen have both won the Ladies Grand-Prix four times, while World Champion Lindsey Van (USA) has won it once. Considering the results of the last Continental Cups in Scandinavia, Iraschko, Sagen and Germany’s Ulrike Grässler, who only placed in second and third so far, seem to have the best chances winning it this year.