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German ski jumpers shine at Giant Pine

By Daily News staff 3 min read

IRON MOUNTAIN -- German ski jumpers were the top two finishers Friday at Pine Mountain as the Kiwanis Ski Club hosted the first of four scheduled competitions this weekend.

Felix Hoffmann edged teammate Martin Hamann to take first place in the Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson Continental Cup event.

Hoffmann had jumps of 412 feet and 423 feet, while Hamann sailed 440 feet and 417 feet but lost points in gate/wind compensation. Only 0.3 points separated them.

Placing third was Fredrik Villumstad of Norway, who had jumps of 438 feet and 402 feet. Slovenia's Zak Mogel went 438 feet and 404 feet to finish fourth.

Benjamin Oestvold of Norway, the Continental Cup winter points leader, was on his way to a third straight victory before being disqualified by a suit violation on his second run.

Oestvold, who swept a pair of competitions in Rena, Norway, on Feb. 18 and 19, had jumps of 440 feet and 436 feet at Giant Pine but finished 30th after leading in the first round.

Maximillian Ortner of Austria had the longest ride of the day at 454 feet on his second run -- just 18 feet shy of the hill record. Ortner, whose first-round jump was 379 feet, placed 11th.

Markus Mueller of Austria and Iver Olaussen of Norway, two of the younger jumpers in the field at age 20, tied for fifth place. Olaussen went 441 feet on his second ride.

Official competitions are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Trial rounds begin at 10 a.m. today and 11 a.m. Sunday.

Thirty-eight skiers from eight nations are on hand to challenge Giant Pine. An opening ceremony was scheduled for 1 p.m. today.

Anticipating a record crowd, the Kiwanis Ski Club has organized a shuttle from Bay College West to the north gate of the ski jump complex at the intersection of Bellagoma and Pine Mountain roads. The shuttle will run today only from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then again from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Shuttles will run every 20 minutes at a cost of $5 per person round-trip. You must have an admission button to get on the shuttle. As a bonus for using the shuttle, riders will receive a book with $40 in coupons from local businesses.

Also, BOSS Snowplow is offering its safe rides home service until 7 tonight.

Spectators using their own vehicles are encouraged to carpool. Those who have pre-purchased buttons may use the express lane when entering. Caution is urged when approaching gates and throughout the jump complex property, as many people will be on foot.

By 9 a.m. today, and 11 a.m. Sunday, all vehicles in general admission parking must be parked bumper to snowbank.

Spectators must leave the parking lot by 7 p.m. today and Sunday after the competition.

If all four competitions take place, it will be the first time in Continental Cup history that four competitions have been held at the same venue on the same weekend, said Susie Fox, Kiwanis Ski Club corresponding secretary.

Gate prices are adults, $40; students 11 to 17, $30; and free for children ages 10 and younger.

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