LEAD: Schlierenzauer also wins second round at Four Hills Tour

By Eric Dobias Jan 1, 2012, 15:52 GMT

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany - Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria remained on course towards a first Four Hills title and a huge jackpot when he dominated the second stage of the prestigious ski-jumping competition on Sunday.

Schlierenzauer soared 138 metres and 134 metres for a winning total of 274.5 points in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, two days after winning the opener in Oberstdorf.

Compatriot World Cup leader Andreas Kofler climbed from 10th to second with 270.4 points and Japan's Daiki Ito was third on the podium with 269.6 points thanks to the day's biggest jump of 141.5m.

Schlierenzauer tops the Four Hills standings 22.2 points ahead of Kofler into the concluding two Austrian events in Innsbruck (January 4) and Bischofshofen (January 6). Ito is third, 25.7 points behind.

If Schlierenzauer wins all four events he gets a jackpot of 1 million Swiss francs (1.06 million dollars). The Grand Slam has only been achieved once in the previous 59 editions, by German Sven Hannawald in 2002.

Schlierenzauer was delighted with his third win in Garmisch and seventh overall at the Four Hills, even more as his jumps were not fully prefect.

'Its unbelievable, another great day for me. I didn't have my best jumps but its great to win regardless,' he told German ZDF television.

However, having lost a halfway lead twice before, Schlierenzauer is not wasting any thoughts at the big bonus, saying 'I am not thinking about it.'

The cross-country Tour de Ski, meanwhile, saw its fourth of nine stages in nearby Oberstdorf, with Norwegian Petter Northug winning the men's 20km double pursuit for a slim overall lead of 1.1 seconds over Swiss rival Dario Cologna.

The women's 10km race also saw a Norwegian victory as Marit Bjoergen ended Justyna Kowalczyk's perfect stage win run by edging the Pole in a final sprint to the line. But the holder Kowalczyk still leads Bjoergen by 26.5 seconds overall.

The Tour de Ski continues after a rest day on Tuesday in Dobbiaco, Italy, and runs until January 8.