Johann Pichler of the ski club Bischofshofen is the new president of the 4-Hills-Tournament. This was announced by the organizing committee during its spring meetings in Munich. The 62-year-old is the first representative of the ski club Bischofshofen to chair the world's most important competition series in winter sports in its 66-year long history. Pichler will succeed Michael Maurer of the ski club Partenkirchen.

"It's of course a special honor for me to be the first from Bischofshofen in this office", explained Pichler, who received the golden eagle, the 4-Hills-Tournament trophy, at the symbolic hand-over from Michael Maurer.

Pichler is very well connected in the international skiing community and highly regarded as a Ski Jumping official. The 62-year-old was working as a judge and a technical delegate of the International Ski Federation (FIS) in more than 120 competitions. For 18 years he was head of the ski club Bischofshofen and, with that, also of the organizing committee of the final event of the 4-Hills-Tournament. Since two years Pichler is now the president of the ski club Bischofshofen.

The change in the position of president of the 4-Hills-Tournament was conducted on a rotational basis. Over 15 years ago, the presidents of the four clubs, ski club Oberstdorf, ski club Partenkirchen, sports club Bergisel and ski club Bischofshofen, have decided that the presidency of the 4-Hills-Tournament shall alternate between the German and Austrian partners after three to five-year terms.

Johann Pichler is the seventh president of the 4-Hills-Tournament and the third Austrian in this office. The previous presidents were Putzi Pepeunig (Innsbruck, 1952 - 1986), Hans Ostler (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1986 - 2003), Dietmar Hemerka (Innsbruck, 2003 - 2006), Claus-Peter Horle (Oberstdorf, 2006 - 2010), Alfons Schranz (Innsbruck, 2010 - 2015) and Michael Maurer (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 2015 bis 2018).

Source: fis-ski.com