Holland Scores First U.S. Win in Ski Jumping Event

Mike Holland won the fourth event in the four-hill ski jumping tournament today, becoming the first American winner in the competition’s 37-year history.

The 27-year-old from Norwich, Vt., and former world record-holder had jumps of 111 meters and 107 meters for 218.5 points. He is only the second U.S. jumper to win a World Cup event. The first was Jeff Hastings at Lake Placid, N.Y., in 1983.

However, Finland’s Risto Laakkonen won the overall title, although he did not win a single event. With 841 points, he beat Jens Weissflog of East Germany and Finland’s star, three-time Olympic gold medalist Matti Nykaenen, who had 838.5 points each.

Today’s runner-up, Ari-Pekka Nikkola of Finland, had the longest jump overall, 112.5 meters. He finished with 217.5 points.

Sweden’s Jan Bokloev, who won the third event at Innsbruck this week, was third today with jumps of 108 and 111.5 for 215 points.

Holland has been on the U.S. team for seven years. In March, 1985, he briefly held the world record with a jump of 186 meters.