A single tiny white spot could be seen from the Autobahn in Bischofshofen: The Paul-Ausserleitner-Schanze, which lies high above the village in Pongau and was covered with artificial snow for the ski-jumping spectacle.

Otherwise? Everything green, clear plus degrees and still no prospect of snow at the 71st Four Hills Tournament.

The dreary weather sometimes affects the athletes. "It's very, very sad, no matter which station. We didn't have snow anywhere except here at the ski jump. That's very sad when you think about the fact that it's actually a winter sport," said youngster Philipp Raimund on Thursday after the Qualification.

The tour hasn't always been really wintry in recent years. But this time it's particularly bad. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, some fans came to the Olympiaschanze in sunshine and around 15 degrees in T-shirts - and that on New Year's Day. "I've really experienced a lot on the tour. Nothing surprises me anymore," said Germany's team world champion Karl Geiger about the conditions. A little colder and a little snow would be nice, he added. "But it's not a request concert."

22-year-old Raimund is preparing for more world cups on mats, even in winter. "I think it will be our future sooner or later because at some point we won't have any more snow," said Raimund. The premiere for this was in Wisla, Poland, in November. Raimund became almost sentimental when he talked about the increasingly mild winters. "It's bizarre when I think about it: it used to be a white Christmas, now everything has been green for what feels like three years."