Top jumpers travel to Japan
In the recent years many of the top jumpers didn't take the trip to Japan to compete in the World Cups there, it looks different this year. The Japanese fans will get to see most of the stars of ski jumping this time.
So, for example, the Austrians are travelling to Sapporo with overall World Cup leader Andreas Kofler and Thomas Morgenstern, the best Norwegians Anders Bardal, Vegard Haukoe Sklett and Rune Velta will take part, just like the best Germans Richard Freitag and Severin Freund, Poland's Kamil Stoch and the Slovenes Robert Kranjec and Peter Prevc.
Except Gregor Schlierenzauer the Top 10 of the World Cup will participate in Japan and so almost the complete world class from Europe will fight for the two victories on the Olympic hill in Sapporo with the best Japanese jumpers around Daiki Ito and Taku Takeuchi.
Teams for Japan:
Austria: Andreas Kofler, Thomas Morgenstern, Wolfgang Loitzl, David Zauner, Manuel Fettner, Michael Hayboeck
Norway: Anders Bardal, Vegard Haukoe Sklett, Rune Velta, Andreas Stjernen, Anders Fannemel, Kim Rene Elverum Sorsell, Ole Marius Ingvaldsen
Slovenia: Robert Kranjec, Peter Prevc, Jernej Damjan, Jure Sinkovec, Jurij Tepes, Dejan Judez
Poland: Kamil Stoch, Piotr Zyla, Maciej Kot, Stefan Hula, Krzysztof Mietus
Germany: Severin Freund, Richard Freitag, Michael Neumayer, Andreas Wank, Stephan Hocke
Switzerland: Marco Grigoli, Gregor Deschwanden
Finland: Anssi Koivuranta, Sami Niemi, Olli Muotka
USA: Peter Frenette, Anders Johnson