Wolfgang Loitzl Wins Four Hills Tour
Austria Uses Top Skijumping Event For First World Cup Victory
Wolfgang Loitzl was the pride and joy of Austria in early January in winning the 2008-09 Four Hills and collecting the first trophy for an Austrian ski jumper since 2000.
Second Place In Oberstdorf
Even though Loitzl was near the top of the overall World Cup rankings for this season, the 28-year-old was hardly a top candidate to win the 57th Four Hills tour over the winter holiday break. And after finishing second three times in 2008-09, Loitzl once again came up just short in the first leg of the Four Hills in Oberstdorf, Germany, taking second place behind double Olympic gold medalist and 2007 World champion Simon Ammann. Loitzl was just 1.2 points behind Ammann.
New Year's Day Brings First Win
And all Loitzl's potential finally paid off on New Year's Day 2009 as he held off Ammann to win the Four Hills' second event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It was the long-awaited first victory for Loitzl on the World Cup circuit and by winning by 1.7 points, he took over the lead in the Four Hills standings at the half-way point.
Second Straight Win In Innsbruck
The Four Hills Tour moved from Austria to Germany but Loitzl did not wait long for his second World Cup win as he won the January 4 jump in Innsbruck. He finished ahead of fellow Austrian Gregor Schlierenzauer and Germany's Martin Schmitt as he increased his lead in the overall Four Hills standings-
Dream Come True Finished Off In Bischofshofen
Loitzl's dream continued two days later in Bischofshofen as he captured his third straight victory to capture the Four Hills crown ahead of Ammann and Schlierenzauer.
History Made In Bischofshofen
Loitzl's first jump in Bischofshofen was a historic one as he became the first ski jumper in Four Hills history to collect five perfect 20 grades from the judges. Austrian Toni Innauer received five perfect 20 marks in 1976 but that was before the current V-style of ski jumping began in 1985. Loitzl's title was also the first for an Austrian since Andreas Widhoelzl captured the crown in 1999-2000.
Four Hills For The Oldies
The 2008-09 Four Hills tour turned out to be a good one for the Oldies among the ski jumpers. Besides the 28-year-old winner, Simon Ammann (27 years), Martin Schmitt (30) and Dmitry Vassiliev (29) all finished in the top five. The wild youngsters such as 18-year-old Gregor Schlierenzauer, 22-year-old Thomas Morgenstern and 23-year-old Harri Olli apparently have a while before they have the skies for themselves.
Sven Hannawald Retains Four Hills Record
Even though Loitzl won three of the four stops on the Four Hills, German Sven Hannawald remains the only skijumper to win all four jumps from in 2001-02.
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