FIS Ski-Flying World Championships 2004
The Ski Flying World Championship 2004 took place from 19 to 22 February held at the Letalnica in Slovenia Planica. The individual competition was won by Roar Ljøkelsøy from Norway before the two Finns Janne Ahonen and Tami Kiuru. In team competition won the Norwegian team, was second and Finland third Austria.
Participant
At the World Championship traveled 55 athletes from 18 countries (in parentheses is number sportsman ):
- Germany Germany ( 5)
- Estonia Estonia ( 2)
- Finland Finland ( 4)
- France France (2)
- Japan Japan ( 4)
- Norway Norway ( 4)
- Austria Austria ( 4)
- Poland Poland ( 4)
- Russia Russia ( 4)
- Sweden Sweden (1)
- Switzerland Switzerland ( 2)
- Slovakia Slovakia (1)
- Slovenia Slovenia ( 4)
- Flag of South Korea South Korea ( 2)
- Czech Republic Czech Republic ( 4)
- United States United States (2)
- Belarus Belarus ( 4)
- Italy Italy (2)
Individual competition
The on Thursday, 19 second planned qualification accounted for to strong crosswinds and persistent snowfall. Therefore, the first passage on the 20th second was carried out with the entire field. For the other three flights are qualified only the best 30 athletes of the first round.
In the first round managed with low start-up only two ski jumpers, the 200 -meter mark. The most flew Tommy Ingebrigtsen ( 204.5 m), just behind landed Georg Späth ( 203.5 m). In the second round, the jury extended the start. Späth benefited from and flew to the German record distance of 225 meters. Ingebrigtsen reached the same width, but he fell and thereby received quite a few points deducted by the judges. At the end of the first day or the first two passages as conducted by Georg Späth surprising 14.5 points ahead of Tami Kiuru. Janne Ahonen was an additional 4.7 points behind and Roar Ljøkelsøy occupied in the meantime the fourth place with a distance of 0.4 points on Ahonen.
On the second day Späth was unable to match the achievements of the previous day. With flights on 202.5 and 195.5 meters, it reached the end of the fourth. Janne Ahonen pointed in the last pass his fellow countryman Kiuru to third place, thus securing the silver medal. Sovereign won, however Roar Ljøkelsøy. He flew in the third passage 222 and the fourth passage 210.5 meters.
Was dominated the individual competition of Scandinavian airmen. Eight of the top ten were from Norway or Finland. The remaining two were German, Michael Uhrmann and Georg Späth. It was a disappointing competition for the defending champion Sven Hanna Forest ( 17th place) and co-favorite Adam Malysz (11th place). Vice world champion Martin Schmitt was able to a failed flight in the first round to qualify for the other passages as 33. The Austrians disappointed. Your best jumper Thomas Morgenstern debuted at number 13
Team competition
For the first time a team competition was held as part of a ski flying World Championship on Sunday, 22 February 2004. In two passages of four ski jumpers launched per team. Eight teams competed. Due to the individual competition were Norway and Finland favorites. Between two nations constantly lead changes. After the first round, Norway was just 11.3 points in front. In the second round Bjørn Einar Romøren succeeded the longest jump of the entire World Cup on 227 meters. The last skiflyer his team Roar Ljøkelsøy secured with a set on the 225 meters gold medal for Norway. Only 7.7 points behind Finland took second place. To the third place vied Austria, Germany and Japan. Austria finally was able to prevail and get bronze.