Gregor Schlierenzauer could repeat his victory from last year in front of 30 000 enthusiastic fans in Zakopane. This season's serial winner from Austria won in southern Poland and celebrated already his 30th World Cup victory, the sixth this season. Schlierenzauer (289.8 points) was followed by his long-time rival Simon Ammann (278.1 points) from Switzerland. "This is a mile stone, not everyone could win 30 World Cups. It was a perfect day for me and I'm very happy. During the break I trained well with Florian Liegl and could improve my technique", he told.
 
Once again it was a great performance of the Austrian team. Thomas Morgenstern (266.2 points) was third, ahead of Wolfgang Loitzl (265.8 points) and former nordic combined skier David Zauner (251.0 points) achieved the best World Cup result of his career as sixth. In view of this top result head coach Alexander Pointner said that the team is on the right path for Vancouver. "It's a great feeling to be on the podium in front of such an audience", said Morgenstern.
 
Malysz good - but not on the podium
Adam Malysz missed the podium in his home competition, but achieved a top result as fifth. The team result of the Poles was disappointing. Lukasz Rutkowski was second best as 25th. That shows that Adam Malysz is still the measure of all things in Polish skijumping.
 
Janne Ahonen was the best Finn as seventh, but his teammates disappointed again. Matti Hautamaeki, winner of the qualification, was only 18th, Harri Olli was 30th.
 
Uhrmann and Wank in the Top 10
Best German was Michael Uhrmann, who celebrated his first World Cup victory on the Wielka-Krokiew-hill six years ago. The athlete from Bavaria moved up from 18th after the first round to ninth overall. Andreas Wank (10th) followed his teammate and was satisfied: "Not everything is good, little things are still missing. But all-in-all I'm looking forward to Canada and the Olympic Games", he said. Fellow countryman Stephan Hocke - like Wank also from Thuringia - and Severin Freund could also score World Cup points.
 
The German coaches are a little worried about Pascal Bodmer at the moment. The best German of the winter missed the final for the first time this season and is not in his best shape a couple of weeks before Vancouver 2010. Georg Späth also missed the cut and so his chances to be nominated for the Olympics seem very small. 
 
Question mark on the Norwegians
For the Norwegian team, Tom Hilde and Anders Jacobsen missed to qualify for the competition. Anders Bardal, who won a Continental Cup two weeks ago in Sapporo, did not reach the final of the Top 30 and is not a help for the team of head coach Mika Kojonkoski in his current shape. Only two Norwegians, Bjoern Einar Romoeren, who finished on a good eighth place, and Johan Remen Evensen (17th) could score points.
 
The Russian could not score World Cup points on Friday in the High Tatra. Denis Kornilov and Ilja Rosliakov did not reach the final. Wolfgang Steiert and Berni Schoedler have to count on the return of their top-jumper Dimitri Vassiliev.
 
After the great results at the skiflying events at the Kulm and the competitions in Sapporo, Antonin Hajek came back down to earth. He was 35th today and missed the final round.

FISskijumping.com
22.01.2010 18:01