Friday, November 29, 2002
Peterka climbs from fifth place to win
Associated Press
KUUSAMO, Finland -- Former World Cup winner Primoz Peterka
of Slovenia beat Adam Malysz to capture the opening event of the
ski jumping season Friday night.
Peterka, the World Cup overall winner in 1997 and 1998, jumped
131.5 and 143.5 meters for 293.5 points, rallying from fifth place
after the first round.
Alan Alborn, the top U.S. ski jumper, has a sore knee and did
not compete.
Double Olympic champion Simon Ammann of Switzerland finished
37th. He could do no better than 110.5 meters in his first jump and
failed to qualify for the second round.
Germany's Sven Hannawald, last season's World Cup runner-up, is
coming off an injury and was 44th. Compatriot Martin Schmitt, the
World Cup winner in 1999 and 2000, was not among the jumpers.
Malysz, last season's World Cup champion from Poland, was second
at 291.3. Finland's Janne Ahonen, the first-round leader, was next
at 291.2.
Norway's Sigurd Pettersen was fourth at 291.1. He had the day's
longest jump at 146, two meters shy of the Ruka hill record.
Japan's Kazuyoshi Funaki was second after the first round, but
he fell after making a 138-meter jump and lost style points. He
finished 11th.
Finland's 18-year-old Arttu Lappi was 10th in his World Cup
debut.
