The old Olympia Hill at
Garmisch-Partenkirchen has reached journey's
end. Yesterday's competition, which was badly
hit by the weather, ended in a spectacular
farewell fireworks display. Photo:
DANIEL MAURER / AP
Sunday saw the second round of
the traditional Four Hills ski-jumping tournament,
always held at the turn of the year.
It was also a farewell of sorts, as the venerable
Olympia Hill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, built in
1950, will now be dismantled and replaced by a new
structure.
The hill did not get a particularly splendid send-off,
despite the after-competition fireworks. In rainy
and windy conditions, it was only possible to arrange
one round of jumping before the competition jury
called a halt to the proceedings and spared the
drenched spectators as much as the wind-blown jumpers.
This was by no means the first ski-jumping competition
this season to have been affected by the unduly
mild weather.
Victory in the end went to Switzerland's Andreas
Kuttel with a leap of 125.5 metres, and second place
on the podium was taken by Matti Hautamaki.
Hautamaki was one to benefit from the capricious
conditions, and flew down the hill with a suitable
head wind to buoy him up. It was a welcome return
to the limelight for the four-time Olympic medallist,
who has struggled with his form this season, even
though he admitted he was somewhat fortunate on
the day.
Hautamaki pulled himself sharply upwards in the
overall Four Hills standings after a disappointing
19th place in Oberstdorf's opener on Saturday.
Arttu Lappi finished in 5th spot, following a 6th
place in Oberstdorf, and inched his way upwards
to 4th in the overall standings, behind the teenage
whiz-kid from Austria, Gregor Schlierenzauer. The
16-year-old Schlierenzauer won the first event and
was fourth on Monday. He also heads the FIS World
Cup points standings for this season.
Four-time tournament winner Janne Ahonen, who is
the defending champion from 2006, could do no better
than 16th, and was one of the many competitors to
suffer from the wind. He is lying 7th overall.
Matti Hautamaki is in 13th place as the jumpers
move on to Innsbruck on Thursday. The final round
of the tournament is held on the Bischofshofen hill
in Germany on Sunday.
