Andreas Kofler won the opening event of the 58th 4-Hills-Tournament in Oberstdorf and is now the favorite to win the overall ranking. The Austrian (265.2 points) won under difficult conditions on the "Schattenbergschanze" ahead of Janne Ahonen, who made his best competition since the comeback today and finished second (253.3 points). It was the 106th podium result of his career. Thomas Morgenstern (250.3 points) came in third.
 
For Kofler, who was at the low point of his career last season, this was the second victory. "I get a lot back now. That I can win on the hill where I fell in 2007 means a lot to me. I'm just totally happy. I already realized that a lot is possible yesterday and I was totally relaxed", the winner told.
 
Morgenstern proud - Ahonen relaxed
"I'm proud of myself, that I did a good job and showed good jumps. This gives my self-confidence and now I'm looking forward to Garmisch", said Morgenstern.
 
Ahonen was also satisfied after the competition and answered all questions of the journalists with a smile. "Now I'll just relax and take it easy", the 32-year-old told who showed the longest jump of the day with 136 m in the final round.
 
Schlierenzauer already almost 40 points behind
"Defending champion" Wolfgang Loitzl came in fourth, about 20 points behind Kofler. Overall World Cup leader Simon Ammann was fifth, followed by the fourth Austrian in the Top 6, Lukas Mueller. Gregor Schlierenzauer - besides Ammann the top favorite, was only ninth, behind Adam Malysz (8.). Schlierenzauer is now already almost 40 points behind his teammate Kofler.
 
There was already rain and slight tail wind when the competition started. But still the jury decided to start from a quite low gate. Most athletes had problems and the spectators didn't get to see long jumps. "The conditions were difficult. Lots of tail wind. The length of the inrun was not perfect, it was a little slow at the table because there was water in the track", Malysz said after his first jump. But when Michael Neumayer, Mueller and Martin Schmitt could also not reach acceptable distances the jury decided to grant the jumpers a four gates longer inrun.
 
Difficult conditions - heavy rain, changing winds
But also after the re-start it was not easy. For example world record holder Bjoern Einar Romoeren from Norway lost his duel against Martin Cikl from the Czech Republic. Before this competition Cikl was 39th in the overall World Cup and had 12 points. Also World Champion Andreas Kuettel from Switzerland and the 4-Hills-Tournament winner from 2007, Anders Jacobsen (NOR), have no chance for a top result after this competition from Oberstdorf. The same applies for Emmanuel Chedal.
 
Michael Uhrmann finished last. "The frustration is huge. I don't want to blame everything on the wind, the jump was also not great, but I normally don't jump 93.5 m. A jump like this didn't happen to me for a long time", he said. But all in all almost only top jumpers were in the top posiitons after the first round. 
 
Czechs and Slovenes suprise
This was also proven by the decision of the jury. FIS race director Walter Hofer paid a compliment to the three members of the jury. "It is unbelievably difficult to provide fair conditions for everyone for over an hour. The jury did a good job", said the Austrian.
 
The Czech team must be satisfied with today's competition. All four athletes reached the final - a huge success for the new coach David Jiroutek. Also the team from Slovenia seems to be on the up, three jumpers were in the Top 30 and they showed their best performance of the season. And with Jernej Damjan as seventh head coach Matjaz Zupan even has a candidate for a top overall result in his team.
 
Norwegians have only one iron in the fire
It was a bad day today for the Polish and the German team. Malysz was the only athlete in the final for head coach Lukasz Kruczek. Besides Pascal Bodmer (12th), Martin Schmitt was the only German in the second round. But Schmitt didn't have a good jump in the final and was only 23rd - but still ahead of former 4-Hills-Tournament winners Jacobsen (24th) and Jakub Janda (26th).
 
Johan Remen Evensen is the only Norwegian still in the race for the overall title. He finished tenth today. "I felt like in training. I was really relaxed and I'm satisfied. But the performance of our team makes me sad", Evensen said. Roar Ljoekelsoey agreed: "The conditions were very difficult today, but that was the same for every jumper. I'm disappointed and so is our team. We have to talk about it this evening." the 33-year-old Norwegian told. The winners of the day are easily found: Austria and Ahonen.
 
In the overall World Cup ranking, Ammann kept his lead ahead of the Austrians Schlierenzauer, Kofler and Morgenstern.

FISskijumping.com
29.12.2009 19:03

4-Hills-Tournament - Unpredictable

The 4-Hills-Tournament remains unpredictable, also in its 58th edition. Favorites fail, surprises are happening. "The Tournament is the Tournament", Christof Duffner once said lapidary but to the point.
 
Also this year the top favorites suffered a defeat. Simon Ammann and Gregor Schlierenzauer finished far behind the podium ranks and there's already a significant gap to the leader. But because they have exceptional skills everything is still possible, but it's not going to be easy. The competitions in the 4-Hills-Tournament are always exciting.
 
Kofler now the favorite
Andreas Kofler, winner from Oberstdorf, is now the favorite # 1. His consistency works in his favor and this can be key to win the Tournament for the Tyrolean. Kofler is the only jumper who could finish in the Top 10 in every competition so far. He is in the great position that he does not have to win the events, others have to do that now. He just has to keep his lead.
 
Especially over Thomas Morgenstern, Wolfgang Loitzl, but also Ammann and Schlierenzauer. Ammann and Schlierenzauer did not yet give up the fight for the overall title, although it's not going well especially for Schlierenzauer. He went to see his doctor in Innsbruck on Wednesday, he has problems with his immune system and doesn't feel 100% fit.
 
Can Ahonen rain on the parade of the Austrians?
It is difficult to say to what extent Janne Ahonen, the mystery of skijumping, can be dangerous for Kofler. Is he back in his great shape right for the 4-Hills-Tournament or was he lucky and took advantage of the conditions in Oberstdorf in his inimitable way?
 
Ahonen stood in the way of the first Austrian triple victory at the 4-Hills since 1975. The Austrian team could celebrate its 175th victory in a World Cup on January 1st. But Ahonen will have something against it. The question is only if he's strong enough to fight the Austrian superiority once again? We will all know a little more after the competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
 
A look on Germans, Norwegians, Malysz and Damjan
Also concerning the chance for Norwegians and Germans to make amends for Oberstdorf, where they lost all their hopes for the overall ranking of the Tournament. For these two traditional skijumping countries it's now all about achieving good results in the individual competitions. With Pascal Bodmer (GER) and Johan Remen Evensen (NOR) they at least have one athlete who can finish in the Top 10.
 
Also Adam Malysz still has a top result in view. And if Jernej Damjan is able to repeat his performance from Oberstdorf in Garmisch-Partenkirchen the Tournament has written one more of its famous episodes. A jumper who went down to the Continental Cup and didn't do well there jumps back into the world class out of nowhere at the 4-Hills-Tournament. "The Tournament is the Tournament."

FISskijumping.com
30.12.2009 18:25