Ski jumping: Ljoekelsoey wins 4th Sapporo World Cup title

SAPPORO (Kyodo) Norwegian ski jumper Roar Ljoekelsoey soared to victory in heavy snow and strong winds for his fourth World Cup title in Sapporo in six years on Sunday. Ljoekelsoey topped the field with 292.1 points after nailing jumps of 137.5 meters and 137 meters at Okurayama hill to capture his second World Cup title this season and 10th overall.

Risto Jussilainen of Finland and Austria's Thomas Morgenstern, who finished runner-up to Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki a day earlier, were second and third with totals of 262.8 and 243.1 points.

"I like this jumping platform. It really suits my style of jumping," said Ljoekelsoey, who kept his body low as he launched off the platform to overcome the windy and snowy conditions on the K-120 hill.

Noriaki Kasai made the best finish among Japanese competitors after leaps of 99 meters and 118 meters for a total of 183.1 points, good enough for seventh.

Nagano Olympic gold medalist Funaki, who ended a six-year victory drought on Saturday, placed 10th while Hiroki Yamada came 12th and 19-year-old Daiki Ito failed to place in the top 30 for a second straight day

Kyodo News, Sunday February 6, 2005, 3:35 PM

Sun Feb 6,12:09 AM ET 
Norway's Roar Ljoekelsoey soars in the air during the World Cup ski jumping competition in Sapporo, northern Japan, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2005. Ljoekelsoey won the event. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) 

Sun Feb 6,12:10 AM ET 
Finland's Risto Jussilainen soars in the air during the World Cup ski jumping competition in Sapporo, northern Japan, Sunday, Feb 6, 2005. Jussilainen finished second place in the event. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Sun Feb 6,12:29 AM ET 
Norway's Roar Ljoekelsoey, center, smiles during an awarding ceremony of the World Cup Ski Jumping in Sapporo northern Japan, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2005. Finland's Risto Jussilainen, left, was placed in second and Austria's Thomas Morgenstern was placed in third. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

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Funaki flies to World Cup victory

SAPPORO (Kyodo) Japanese ski jumper Kazuyoshi Funaki, aided by a little luck, ended a six-year victory drought on the World Cup circuit Saturday at a Sapporo meet. Funaki, mired in a lengthy slump after his gold-medal performance at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, topped the field with 144.

0 points after the first round of jumps at the Okurayama hill and the result became the final one as the second round was canceled due to inclement weather.

Funaki's 135-meter leap under the floodlights at the K-120 hill and his better style points gave him a 0.1-point edge over runnerup Thomas Morgenstern of Austria, who nailed the day's longest jump of 135.5 meters.

Roar Ljoekelsoey of Norway took third with 139.1 points after traveling 132 meters.

Funaki also rode the luck of a jury decision allowing him and two other jumpers to re-take their jumps after snow piled up on the running slope, slowing down their speeds before taking off.

He landed at the 82-meter point on his initial attempt.

The Japan Times, February 6, 2005

Sat Feb 5, 6:10 AM ET
Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki leaps in the air during the World Cup ski jumping competition in Sapporo, northern Japan, Saturday, Feb 5, 2005. Funaki won the event. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Sat Feb 5, 7:03 AM ET
Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki soars through the air to win the FIS World Cup Ski Jumping in Sapporo, northern Japan February 5, 2005. Funaki won the competition with 144.0 points. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Sat Feb 5, 7:18 AM ET
Austria's Thomas Morgenstern soars through the air,to place second, at the FIS World Cup Ski Jumping in Sapporo, northern Japan February 5, 2005. Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki won the competition with 144.0 points. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Sat Feb 5, 7:31 AM ET
Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki, center, won the World Cup Ski Jumping in Sapporo northern Japan, Saturday Feb 5, 2005. Austria's Thomas Morgenstern, left, came second and Norwegian Roar Ljoekelsoey placed third. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Fri Feb 4, 7:53 AM ET
Norway's Roar Ljoekelsoey soars over the city of Sapporo while training for the FIS World Cup Ski Jumping Championships in northern Japan, February 4, 2005. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Fri Feb 4, 7:53 AM ET
Austria's Thomas Morgenstern soars over the city of Sapporo while training for the FIS World Cup Ski Championships in northern Japan, February 4, 2005. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

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Mass Cross Country Ski Marathon in Germany

Sun Feb 6, 9:20 AM ET 
More than 1,700 participants start the annual 50 kilometer King Ludwig cross country skiing competition in the southern German town of Oberammergau, February 6, 2005. The event draws entries from a range of countries and is open to anyone wishing to participate. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle 

Sun Feb 6, 8:52 AM ET 
More than 1,700 participants start the annual 50 kilometer King Ludwig cross country skiing competition in the southern German town of Oberammergau, February 6, 2005. The event draws entries from a range of countries and is open to anyone wishing to participate. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle 

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