Peerless Ahonen continues to dominate

GARMISCH PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AFP) - Favourite Janne Ahonen of Finland won the second event in the Four Hills tournament to earn his ninth World Cup victory in the 10th competition this season.

The 27-year-old Ahonen, who won the Four Hills event in 1999 and 2003, scored 260.1 points from jumps of 124m and 128m, ahead of Austria's Thomas Morgenstern (254.1 pts-119.5/122.5) and Germany's Georg Spaeth (247.2-120.5/118.5).

Ahonen is now the favourite to emulate Sven Hannawald's achievement of three years ago when he became the first man to win all four rounds of the Four Hills tournament.

"I think it's possible to win all four events of the tournament but it's still a long way to go and I have to jump first," said Ahonen.

The remaining two days of the competition are to be held in Austria, in Innsbruck on Monday and Bischofshofen on Thursday.

AFP, Sunday January 2, 2005, 4:55 AM

Finnish ski jumper Janne Ahonen is airborn jumps during the second leg of the Four Hills ski jumping series in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Ahonen won the second event in the Four Hills tournament.(AFP/DDP/Robert Michael)

A ski jumper at the top of the ramp during a practice session in the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, on Friday, Dec. 31, 2004. The second event of the 53rd fourhill tournament will take place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Jan. 1, 2005. (AP Photo/Jan Pitman)

Switzerland's Andreas Kuettel soars over Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze, during practice for the second jumping of the 53rd Four Hill ski jumping tournament, in the town of Garmisch Partenkirchen, December 31, 2004. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

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Super Ahonen keepings on winning

INNSBRUCK, Austria (AFP) - Finland's Janne Ahonen captured his third victory in the Four Hills tournament to continue his incredible dominance in the World Cup series.

The 27-year-old flying Finn, who won this tournament in 1999 and 2003, has now won 10 out of the 11 World Cup events so far this season. Only Germany's Sven Hannawald in 2001/02 managed a similar feat.

Ahonen scored 243.8 points after leaps of 128.5m and 120m ahead of Poland's Adam Malysz (236.8 pts-123.5/120.0) and Czech Jakub Janda (232.5-122.0/118.0).

Ahonen, who won the first two jumps in the Four Hills tourmament at Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany, has now won 28 World Cup events.

He has also consolidated his considerable lead in the overall World Cup standings where he is more than 400 points ahead.

The fourth and final competition takes place at Bischofshofen, Austria on Thursday.

AFP, Tuesday January 4, 2005, 1:37 AM

Super Ahonen : Janne Ahonen flies to another victory during the Four Hills competition, part of the FIS World Cup in Ski-Jumping, in Innsbruck. (AFP/Joe Klamar)

Alexander Herr of Germany soars above Wilten Basilica during a trial jump at the third stage of the Four Hills Tournament from Innsbruck's Bergisel Hill, January 2, 2005. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic soars above the city of Innsbruck during a trial jump, at the third stage of the Four Hills Tournament from Bergisel Hill, January 3, 2005. Janne Ahonen of Finland won ahead of second placed Adam Malysz of Poland and third placed Jakub Janda. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

Ski jumping World Cup leader Janne Ahonen of Finland raises three fingers after winning the third stage in a row of the Four Hills Tournament at Bergisel hill in Innsbruck January 3, 2005. Ahonen won ahead of second placed Adam Malysz of Poland and third placed Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

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Ahonen narrowly misses sweep

BISCHOFSHOFEN, Austria (AP) - Janne Ahonen narrowly missed out on a sweep of the Four Hills tour, finishing second in the closing event Thursday behind Martin Hoellwarth.

Ahonen, who has won 10 of 12 World Cup events this season, was fourth after the first round with a jump of 132 metres. The Finn improved to 140.5 metres in the second round, but the second longest effort of the day and a total of 271 points wasn't enough to beat Austria's Hoellwarth, who won with jumps of 135 and 137 meters and 277 points.

Daiki Ito of Japan was third with 269.5 points after breaking the hill record with a leap of 143 metres in the second round.

Ahonen clinched his third overall victory in the Four Hills tour - he also won in 1999 and 2003 - but failed to emulate Sven Hannawald, who became the first jumper to win all four tour events three years ago.

"I was second today, but now everyone can see it is not impossible to beat me," said Ahonen. "Of course, I had a very good tournament and I am very happy about my results in all four competitions, but Martin was simply better on the day."

In front of 20,000 ecstatic fans, Hoellwarth gave the host nation its first tournament victory in five years and won his first Four Hills event.

"Despite the heavy rain, this result is sunshine to me. I risked it all. That was certainly the key," said Hoellwarth, who also recorded Austria's latest World Cup win in Zakopane, Poland, in January 2004.

Ahonen finished with a total of 1,043.3 points for the four events. Hoellwarth was second with 994.2, ahead of compatriot Thomas Morgenstern with 985.5 points.

AFP, January 6, 2005

Martin Hoellwarth of Austria speeds down Paul-Ausserleitner hill before a trial jump on the last stage of the Four Hills Tournament in Bischofshofen, January 5, 2005. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader