Four Hills Tournament mourns the death of Dietmar Hemerka

The Four Hills Tournament mourns the loss of its Honorary President Dietmar Hemerka from Innsbruck. The long-time head of Bergisel ski jumping died at the age of 83. ‘We are losing a great official and a great person in Dietmar. The tour was a very important part of his life until the very end. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife Ingrid and all his relatives,’ says Tournament President Manfred Schützenhofer from the Bischofshofen Ski Club.

Dietmar Hemerka had led the Four Hills Tournament as Tournament President from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he was head of organisation at the Bergisel ski jumping event in Innsbruck for over twelve years.

‘There were important milestones during Dietmar's time. Among other things, he organised the snow guarantee in Schmirntal, which we still rely on today. Another highlight was, of course, the opening of the new Bergisel ski jump, which was completed just in time for the 2002 ski jumping tour. There were a few sleepless nights,’ recalls Alfons Schranz, President of the Bergisel Sports Club and Hemerka's successor as Head of Organisation at Bergisel (until 2022).

Hemerka's career at the Four Hills Tournament began as a volunteer helper, he started as a distance measurer at Bergisel. Even after his time as an active official, Hemerka enjoyed every jump, and this winter he was on site at the competitions together with his wife Ingrid.

His tour family will always remember him fondly.