SKI JUMPING WORLD CUP. It's done! Adam Malysz celebrated his first victory of the season at home in Zakopane. In front of more than 25 000 enthusiastic fans in southern Poland the local hero won the 39th World Cup competition of his career - and it was his 90th podium result.

Poland's Adam Malysz greets fans after winning the 19th World Cup Ski Jumping competition, in Zakopane, Poland, Friday, Jan. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

With this success Malysz ended a four-year long lean period without a World Cup victory. He celebrated his last victory in Planica in March 2007, after that he finished second eighth times, but it was just not enough for the top.

Poland's Adam Malysz soars in the air during the 19th World Cup Ski Jumping competition, in Zakopane, Poland, Friday, Jan. 21, 2011. Malysz won the event. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

The 33-year-old laid the foundation for this victory already in the first round with the longest jump of the day on 138.5 m. That earned him a good lead for the final round and he won with a total of 269.9 points. The last time he won in Zakopane was in January 2005. Six long years of waiting are finally over for the Polish fans - and of course also for their idol.

Kofler and Freund on the podium again

Andreas Kofler from Austria finished second with 264.5 points. He moved up from sixth after the first round. Germany's Severin Freund came in third (264.0 points). For Freund this was the third podium finish in a row - what a success. "This was a great competition, the atmosphere here is unbeatable. You hear the fans even when you sit on the starting bar. Unfortunately I was already too far behind after the first round. The second jump was very good, I almost could beat Adam", said Kofler.

Freund is now constantly a candidate for the podium "It's a great feeling to be on the podium in front of so many spectators. That's awesome", he said.

Ammann ahead of Morgenstern

Simon Ammann from Switzerland narrowly missed the podium only by 0.2 points. Thomas Morgenstern, the overall leader of the World Cup, finished fifth. Gregor Schlierenzauer was sixth and is back in the world class.

Tom Hilde was once again the best Norwegian as seventh. But also Bjoern Einar Romoeren showed some improvement and was seventh. Matti Hautamaeki from Finland showed that he can jump good and consistent again.

Malysz was the best of the Polish team of which four jumpers could score points today.

Michael Uhrmann moved up from 27th to 16th with a good second jump on the hill where he celebrated his first World Cup victory about seven years ago. Also Martin Schmitt showed a "good competition", as he said. He finished 18th.

Five German jumpers scored points, only the Austrian team was better, with six athletes in the Top 15. What a team performance.

Curious experiment of Hlava

Lukas Hlava used a stick in the trial round that he held with both hand behind his back with the goal to be as stable as possible. In the competition this is not allowed and so the Czech could not reach the final.

This fate was shared by many well-known athletes who could also not reach the final round: Slovene Jernej Damjan, who jumped strong in the qualification, five-time 4-Hills-Tournament winner Janne Ahonen from Finland, World Champion Andreas Kuettel from Switzerland and Jakub Janda, former 4-Hills-Tournament winner from the Czech Republic.

With 1268 points Morgenstern is still clearly in the lead of the overall World Cup ranking ahead of Kofler (851 points), Ammann (803 points) and Malysz (795 points). Freund is now seventh.

FISskijumping.com
21.01.2011 18:21