Ski jumping-Super team storm stirs format debate among Japanese jumpers

PREDAZZO, Italy, Feb 19 : The debut of the men's super team ski jumping event at the Milano Cortina Olympics has prompted mixed emotions among the Japanese athletes, with some questioning whether the format truly belongs on the sport’s biggest stage.

The event, which features two jumpers per nation taking multiple rounds, was introduced as a fresh addition to the Olympic programme. But its structure, particularly after heavy snowfall forced officials to end the competition early and revert to earlier standings, has divided opinion.

Austria’s Jan Hoerl and Stephan Embacher took gold in a chaotic race where the third round of jumps was cancelled and the result of the two first rounds decided the winner.

Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi suggested the format may be better suited to the World Cup circuit than the Olympics.

"As for the super team event, it’s something that could totally happen at the World Cup or over the course of a season," Kobayashi said. "I’ve come to terms with it, but when it happened at a new event in the Olympics, it felt a bit wasteful. Since it doesn’t really fit the standard competition format, two athletes get to jump twice. If that’s the case, you end up thinking, ‘Why not just have four people jump two rounds?' It just feels like a missed opportunity."

His compatriot Ren Nikaido struck a more reflective tone after completing all four of his events at the Games.

"After finishing all four events I felt that there’s a lot of frustration but also a lot of happy memories. Looking back, I really think it was an incredibly valuable experience," Nikaido said.

Japan ended up sixth in the event. While acknowledging the disappointment surrounding the shortened competition, he accepted the unpredictable nature of the sport.