We have known for many years now that sports have become a big business. It is a fact that never really bothers us, until one puts business ahead of sports. Wednesday's third leg of this year's Four Hills ski jumping tournament had only one series. Viewers got to see only one jump over the hill size point and only 15 jumps over the calculation point, which is otherwise the minimum for making it to the final at a regular event.

Apathetic ski jumpers leaving the landing area walked beside us with sour faces. Some even made gestures expressing what they thought about the event. Most original was the Swiss champion Simon Ammann, who made a hand gesture asking for a timeout. But a one-minute timeout was not enough, for there was a series of timeouts in the marathon-long first series. The shortened competition lasted one hour and a half. In other circumstances the same time is sufficient for staging both series.

Talking to the jumpers afterwards they all agreed that holding such events makes no sense. Peter Prevc, who remained in ninth place, said before the end of the first series that a sports battle should give the winner of the tournament. "I really hope that those who will be fighting it out for the overall tournament victory will have equal conditions for it. It wouldn't be nice for us, or the viewers, if the wind decides the Four Hills tournament. If the leaders receive equal conditions, then I'll be pleased," were Peter Prevc's thoughts in the spirit of fair play.