Lillehammer in Norway is staging the first half of the Raw Air event before it concludes in Oslo ©Getty Images

Lillehammer is set to stage the beginning of the fifth edition of Raw Air as part of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Jumping World Cup circuit, with record prize money available to women.

Raw Air is tournament contained within the World Cup calendar, with competition also taking place in Oslo.

This will be the third edition of the women's Raw Air tournament, which uses only large hills.

There will be no Russian or Belarus athletes taking part after the FIS barred them from all of its competitions.

Austrian Marita Kramer is currently in control of the women's World Cup standings, sitting in pole position with 995 points, and can be considered the favourite to win Raw Air.

She has won six out of 13 events so far this season to establish a 254-point lead over second-placed Nika Križnar of Slovenia.

Fellow Slovenian Urša Bogataj occupies third with 701 points.

Kramer missed the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics with COVID-19.

The second Lillehammer leg of the World Cup season, running for two days from tomorrow, will feature medal event on both days as opposed to the usual one.

This is to make up for the COVID-19-enforced cancellation of the Sapporo stop planned for January 8 to 9.

Ryōyū Kobayashi goes into the Raw Air competition atop the men's Ski Jumping World Cup standings ©Getty Images
Ryōyū Kobayashi goes into the Raw Air competition atop the men's Ski Jumping World Cup standings ©Getty Images

Norwegian Maren Lundby has won both editions of the Raw Event event which is focused on promoting gender equality.

"Norway has through the introduction of Raw Air for Women promoted and supported women ski jumping internationally," said project leader Ståle Villumstad.

"More competitions for women in same hills as men will give better opportunities for women and contribute to grow the ski jumping product."

The winner is set to receive €45,000 (£37,000/$50,000), while second and third will take home €25,000 (£20,000/$27,000) and €10,000 (£8,000/$11,000), respectively.

The first day will also see men's qualification take place.

Ryōyū Kobayashi of Japan leapfrogged Germany's Karl Geiger into first in the men's World Cup table after he shared gold with Norway's Halvor Egner Granerud at the last event, in Lahti.

Kobayashi and Geiger have 1,322 and 1,279 points with Granerud following behind on 1,090.

The men's winner is set to receive €35,000 (£29,000/$39,000) in total while second and third place will take home €25,000 and €10,000, respectively.

From March 4 to 6, Oslo will host the second half of Raw Air, with results also contributing to the World Cup standings.