Posted at 10:15 a.m., Sunday, January 6, 2008
Skiing: Finn wins Four Hills event for record 5th time
Associated Press
BISCHOFSHOFEN, Austria — Janne Ahonen became the first ski jumper to win the prestigious Four Hills tournament for a fifth time today.The 30-year-old Finn won the final stop under difficult circumstances due to rain with jumps of 126 and 136 meters, earning him 251.6 points in the World Cup event.
"This means a lot to me," Ahonen said. "But it will be easier to understand what it really means after a couple of years."
His main competitor Thomas Morgenstern finished third with 242.7 points, and Gregor Schlierenzauer, who was third in the standings, failed to qualify for the second leg.
Ahonen also won the Four Hills tournament in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2006 when he shared victory with Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic.
Jens Weissflog of Germany is the only ski jumper with four tournament wins, in 1984, 1985, 1991, and 1996.
