January 5, 2008 (Bischofshofen, Austria) – Finnish ski jumping great Janne Ahonen won the third event in the 56th Jack Wolfskin Four Hills Tournee Saturday and took over as points leader for the tournament.

In a competition moved Friday from Innsbruck because of high winds, Ahonen had the longest jump in the first round – 139.5 metres – and went on to smother the field. He finished with 282.5 points to 271.4 for World Cup leader Thomas Morgenstern of Austria.

Ahonen jumped 138 metres on his final jump. Morgenstern jumped 138 and 132.5m while 2002 Olympic star Simon Ammann of Switzerland had the most points in the final round with a 139m jump which moved him from 18th place to a distant third (259.4).

With only Sunday night’s meet remaining, Ahonen has 834.2 points through three competitions. Morgenstern, who won the first six meets of the season in record-breaking fashion, has 823.3 so he needs to outscore Morgenstern by 11 points Sunday to win.

Ahonen is seeking his fifth Springertournee title. He won in 1999, 2003, ’05 and ’06.

“I’m not yet through. There is still one competition left and everything can happen,” Ahonen cautioned. “I think it will be a big fight” for the title in the finale.

Morgenstern called Ahonen “the greatest jumper” and said he was happy for him with his first victory of the season, the 32nd of his career. “But tomorrow is a new day and we will make it very difficult for him to take the overall win,” he said.

The tournee concludes Sunday night with another large hill competition on Bischofshofen’s 140-meter hill.

Full results.