Olympics/Ski jump: Austrians ready to jump out of shadows – AFP News : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
Whistler (AFP) – Austria start as Olympic Games favourites in the ski jump team event on Monday, buoyed by the knowledge that Switzerland’s Simon Ammann, the winner of both individual titles, will not be taking part.
Ammann’s golden double – his second Olympic pair after the 2002 Games at Salt Lake City – left the Austrians reeling.
“With the Swiss not there, we should have the strongest team overall,” said an optimistic Wolfgang Loitzl, noting that Austria’s neighbours will not compete as they only have Ammann and Andreas Kuettel on their team.
Austria, with Andreas Widhoelzl, Andreas Kofler, Martin Koch and Thomas Morgenstern in their quartet, relegated Finland and Norway to the minor podium placings at Turin in 2006.
With new star Gregor Schlierenzauer in their squad, they will expect a repeat on Monday.
Schlierenzauer, 20, has already picked up bronze in both the normal and the large hill and his appetite is not yet sated.
“Two medals is not bad for your first Olympics – not many have done that,” he said. “Now, I’m really looking forward to the team event.”
With their strength in depth, the Austrians look to be the overwhelming favourites.
On Monday, they won’t even have Ammann’s fancy new boot bindings to deal with. Austrian attempts to force the Swiss to switch back to his old ones fell on deaf ears with organisers.
The Austrian squad arrived with Kofler, Koch, Loitzl and Schlierenzauer having won the Oberstdorf World Cup tune-up ahead of the Olympics.
The Norwegian quartet of Tom Hilde, Johan Remen Evensen, Anders Jacobsen and Bjoern-Einar Romoeren were second while Finland’s Matti Hautamaeki, Kalle Keituri, Janne Ahonen and Harri Olli behind.
Germany, who won their first team event in five years at Willingen erlier this month with Michael Uhrmann landing a decisive effort, could also be a threat.
However, Austria’s main stars skipped the event as they headed for Whistler with the season team title wrapped up.
Even their reserves made the Willingen podium.
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Tags: andreas kuettel, podium, whistler
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