. world ski news : Norwegian Sklett ahead, Kranjec with longest jump - 31 December 2011 - 19:39
SKI JUMPING. The Norwegians are truly the champions of the qualifications in ski juming: After the podium sweep in the qualification in Oberstdorf, Vegard Haukoe Sklett was the best on the Olympic hill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The 25-year-old, who was eleventh in Oberstdorf, is really in a good shape and captured the victory with a jump on 138.5 m and 140.7 points.
Second in the qualification of the second stage of the 60th 4-Hills-Tournament was Japanese Taku Takeuchi who reached 135.9 points for his 136 m jump. In front of 3000 fans in the sleet of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Simon Ammann from Switzerland was third with 134.5 points. "Somehow the hill here likes me, but I still suffer from the flu. I'm happy that it went that well today", said Ammann, who has to wait at least another year for an overall victory at the 4-Hills-Tournament after his 12th place in Oberstdorf.
After the turbulent competition on Friday in Oberstdorf, also the qualification in Partenkirchen had to be cancelled after 18 jumpers and restarted because the fresh snow was causing problems in the inrun track. The inrun speed decreased so the jury decided to cancel the round and clean the track. At least the newly installed wind net protected the jumpers from the stronger tailwind and stood the first test.
Kranjec with long jump - favorites stable
Of the pre-qualified athletes Slovene Robert Kranjec showed a great jump. He landed at 141.5 m - the longest jump of the qualification. Also Thomas Morgenstern and Anders Bardal were strong. Poland's Kamil Stoch, Germans Richard Freitag and Severin Freund, Daiki Ito from Japan and overall leader Gregor Schlierenzauer showed stable jumps. The favorites are ready. "Again it was not that easy today, but I needed a few more jumps. At the end it was cool", said Morgenstern.
Kofler takes a day off
Andreas Kofler took the day off and did not jump. The overall World Cup leader prefered to recharge the batteries before the next competitions on Sunday. The Tyrolean has never won on January 1st so far.
The qualification went well for the teams from Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Just like for Austria, all of their jumpers qualified for the competition. Also all three Finns will take part in Sunday's event.
Ski flying world record holder Johan Remen Evensen, who is still struggeling with the new technique that head coach Alex Stoeckl brought to Norway, did not qualify for the event, that is probably the most popular competition of the year among the TV viewers.
Bodmer and three French out
Like already in Oberstdorf all three jumpers from France failed to make the cut. So Alexandre Mabboux, Vincent Descombes Sevoie and Emmanuel Chedal have another unplanned day off.
Pascal Bodmer, who was seventh of the 4-Hills-Tournament two years ago, is also still struggeling with his shape. The 60th 4-Hills-Tournament is already over before New Year's for the German.
FISskijumping.com
31.12.2011 16:14