2026 Olympic Men's Large Hill Ski Jumping: Preview, Favorites, and Start Time
The wait is almost over for ski jumping fans. On Saturday, February 14th, the world's best male ski jumpers will take to the runway at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium for the Men's Large Hill Individual event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. After a brief pause following the Normal Hill and Mixed Team events, the athletes are ready to fly farther and higher in pursuit of Olympic gold .
With a mix of seasoned champions and rising stars, here is your complete guide to the Men's Large Hill competition, including the favorites to watch, the full schedule, and what makes this event unique.
🏔️ Event Essentials: The Large Hill at Predazzo
The 2026 ski jumping events are being held at the newly renovated Predazzo Olympic Ski Jumping Hill, located in the scenic Val di Fiemme . The Large Hill (HS141) presents a different challenge than the Normal Hill, allowing athletes to achieve greater speed and longer flight times .
Hill Size (HS): 141 meters
K-Point: 128 meters (Landing exactly here awards 60 points)
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026
Start Time (First Round): 12:45 PM ET / 6:45 PM Local Time
Medal Round: Approx. 1:57 PM ET
Location: Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium, Italy
Format: Two scored jumps, with the highest combined score winning the gold medal .
🥇 Top Contenders and Favorites
The Large Hill field is stacked with talent, but a few names stand out above the rest heading into Saturday's final.
The Heavy Favorite: Domen Prevc (SLO)
All signs point to Domen Prevc as the man to beat. The Slovenian star enters the event as the odds-on favorite at -155 (implying a 60.78% chance of winning) according to sportsbooks . The 26-year-old is already an Olympic gold medalist, having helped Slovenia defend their Mixed Team title earlier in the Games .
Prevc has been in dominant form all season, leading the World Cup standings with 11 Large Hill victories . In official training on the Predazzo hill, he posted the longest jump of all athletes at 143.5 meters and topped two of the six training rounds, proving his peak form heading into the individual event . As the reigning World Champion in this discipline, he is hungry for his first individual Olympic medal .
The Rising Stars and Key Challengers
While Prevc is the favorite, several athletes have shown they have the firepower to challenge for the podium.
Ren Nikaido (JPN): The Japanese sensation is having a breakout Games. Already a double bronze medalist in the Normal Hill Individual and Mixed Team events, Nikaido is looking for his third medal . He claimed the top spot in two of the six Large Hill training rounds, suggesting he has the momentum to contend .
Philipp Raimund (GER): The surprise winner of the Men's Normal Hill Individual title has carried his form into the Large Hill. Raimund ranked second in two separate training rounds and made a monster leap during the Mixed Team event . He is a serious threat to claim a second individual gold .
Jan Hoerl (AUT): The Beijing 2022 Men's Team Champion looked comfortable in training, landing a jump of 140.5 meters. While the Austrian team has struggled somewhat in Predazzo, Hoerl's consistency on the Large Hill makes him a podium contender .
Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN): The "Spiderman" of ski jumping and the Beijing 2022 Normal Hill Champion is always a threat. As the silver medalist in this event from the last Games, Kobayashi has the experience and skill to rise to the occasion, even if he has yet to grab an individual medal in these Olympics .
The Defending Champion and Veterans
Marius Lindvik (NOR): The reigning Olympic Large Hill Champion from Beijing is back to defend his title. Despite a challenging period for the Norwegian team following an equipment scandal, Lindvik has already secured a silver medal in the Mixed Team event and cannot be counted out .
Kamil Stoch (POL): The Polish legend is competing in his sixth and final Olympics. A two-time Olympic Large Hill Champion, Stoch is chasing a potential fifth Olympic medal and would love to end his illustrious career on the podium .
⏱️ Full Schedule & How to Watch
Don't miss a second of the action. All times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).
How to Watch:
In the United States, you can watch all the action live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. Broadcast coverage will also be available on USA Network .
📈 What to Watch For
The Telemark Landing: Style points matter. A perfect landing with one foot in front of the other (the Telemark position) is crucial for high scores from the judges .
Wind and Gate Compensation: The jumping hill is outdoors, so wind conditions play a role. Points are adjusted mathematically to ensure fairness based on wind speed and starting gate, meaning the final score is a mix of what the judges see and complex calculations .
New Stars, New Events: This is the first Olympics for several young stars, and the atmosphere in Predazzo is electric. The Large Hill event is a preview before the debut of the Men's Super Team event on February 16th .
Will Domen Prevc live up to his billing and secure his first individual gold? Can Ryoyu Kobayashi reclaim his Large Hill magic? Tune in Saturday afternoon to witness these athletes soar through the Italian air in one of the most thrilling events of the 2026 Winter Games.
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