July 31, 2008 (Hinterzaren, GER) – The 15th edition of the FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping kicked off last weekend together with the Grand Prix in Nordic Combined, both in Hinterzarten (GER). On Saturday, the team event was on the schedule at the traditional “Adlerschanze” (eagle hill) jumping venue. The Austrian team with Andreas Kofler, Manuel Fettner, Gregor Schlierenzauer and Thomas Morgenstern claimed victory 5.5 points ahead of a strong German team that is newly coached by Werner Schuster (AUT). The Czech team took third place.

On Sunday, German Georg Späth, who already had the longest jump in the team event with 108,5 meters, won the first individual competition of the 2008 FIS Grand Prix in Ski Jumping. The native of Oberstdorf was fourth after the first round but landed a great jump of 110 m in the second round perfectly. Späth claimed victory 7,5 points ahead of the Austrians Andreas Kofler and the 2007 Grand Prix Champion Thomas Morgenstern. The competitions in Hinterzarten were a successful start to the 2008 Grand Prix, as well as of the 3rd edition of the 4-Nations-Tournament which consists of competitions in Hinterzarten, Einsiedeln (SUI), Courchevel (FRA) and Pragelato (ITA). The series will continue on the home hill of the 2002 Olympic Champion Simon Ammann and his well-known teammate Andreas Küttel on the Swiss national day on 1st August.