Ski jumpers heading to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics will compete in Willingen, Germany, for morale-boosting victories in the final World Cup stop before Italy. The event features a mixed team contest followed by individual women's and men's competitions. Leading athletes like Nika Prevc and Domen Prevc of Slovenia headline the strong fields.
The FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Willingen, Germany, serves as the last opportunity for Olympic-bound athletes to refine their skills ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Competition begins on Friday, January 30, 2026, with a mixed team event on the large hill at 16:10 CET, followed by women's and men's individual large hill events on Saturday, January 31, and Sunday, February 1. Qualifications and training sessions precede the main jumps each day.
In the men's field, Slovenia's Domen Prevc enters as the favorite, holding a 467-point lead in the overall World Cup standings over Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi. Prevc recently claimed the Ski Flying World title in Oberstdorf, adding to his Large Hill gold from Trondheim 2025. Reigning Olympic champion Marius Lindvik of Norway showed strong form by finishing second in Oberstdorf, his first podium of the season. "It bodes well for a particularly important period of the season," noted Norway's sports director Jan-Erik Aalbu.
Germany fields 12 jumpers, led by Philipp Raimund, their top performer this season. "I'm incredibly excited for Willingen; it's simply one of the coolest competitions we have in Germany," Raimund said. Men's national coach Stefan Horngacher emphasized the event's role in final preparations: "The guys are highly motivated, and we're heading to Willingen with a good feeling."
On the women's side, Nika Prevc of Slovenia dominates with eight wins in her last 10 World Cup stops, including two recent victories in Sapporo. She shares the record of 18 career wins with Japan's Sara Takanashi and seeks a 19th at a new venue. Her best result in Willingen is second place from 2024. German prospects include retiring two-time Olympic silver medalist Katharina Schmid, Selina Freitag, and Agnes Reisch, despite no national wins this season. Schmid, who last won in early January 2024, expressed enthusiasm: "I'm really, really looking forward to Willingen, to my last home World Cup." Freitag hoped for favorable weather, while Reisch anticipated excitement from the large crowds and the hill's suitability to her style.
German jumpers have secured 17 World Cup podiums this season but no victories, making home success a key target at the Mühlenkopfschanze.
