PREVIEW: Ski-jumping to be top attraction at wide open Nordic worlds

Feb 16, 2009, 4:54 GMT

Liberec, Czech Republic - Gregor Schlierenzauer seeks a unique title treble and the women crown their inaugural champion as ski-jumping takes centre stage at the Nordic skiing world championships.

The Austrian teenager Schlierenzauer has dominated jumping in the past weeks with eight wins from 10 events and could become only the fourth jumper to claim a normal and large hill double at the worlds.

He will even get the first treble if Austria win the team event a third straight time at the February 18-March 1 championships.

'I am very motivated but at the same time relaxed,' said Schlierenzauer, who faces challenges among others from compatriot Four Hills champ Wolfgang Loitzl and Swiss large hill holder Simon Ammann.

The women, meanwhile, make a another big leap towards equality in sport when they crown their first big event champion on Friday.

'The world championships are a big step for us. We fought very hard for this and now it is happening,' said German jumper Anna Haefele.

The ruling body FIS only recognized women's jumping in 1999 but they have made rapid progress with star like Anette Sagen of Norway, Haefele, Lindsey Van of the US and Daniela Iraschko of Austria vying for gold.

This puts the focus firmly on the jumpers after the cross-country skiers made headlines at the past two editions through three-time champions Marit Bjoergen (2005) and Virpi Kuitunen (2007).

The Finn Kuitunen is among the favourites again along with compatriot World Cup leader Aino Kaisa Saarinen, but the Adriana Follis-led Italy are a big threat along with in-form Slovenian Petra Majdic and Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk.

The men's field has a surprise World Cup leader in Swiss Dario Cologna, who now seeks the first gold for his country at the worlds. But he faces formidable rivals from Norway boasting Petter Northug and sprint king Ola Vigen Hattestad, and a star-studded German team.

Host fans set their hopes in the defending World Cup champion Lukas Bauer, but there a no major ambitions on the women's side after the retirement of multiple world champion Katerina Neumannova, who is still present as organizing committee boss.

Liberec aims to boost its status as a wintersport holiday destination as the worlds return to eastern Europe for the first time since Vysoke Tatry, in then Czechoslovakia, hosted the event in 1970.

The 100,000 locals have been urged and given discounts to attend the 20 medal events in the Bohemian city for which a record 635 athletes from 62 countries have registered.

The presence of Kowalczyk and ski-jumping ex-champion Adam Malysz - the last to get the double in 2003 - will see plenty of Poles cross the nearby border. A large fan contingent from Germany, which is also close by, is set to cheer on their athletes as well.

The Germans hope for cross-country medals but also have strong contenders such as Ronny Ackermann in Nordic combined skiing which twins ski-jumping and cross-country.

However, Finnish World Cup leader Anssi Koivuranta, Norwegian ace Magnus Moan and American Bill Demong are just some rivals in the wide open event.