Hamburg - Janne Ahonen comes out of retirement in search of an elusive Olympic gold medal but there are plenty of rivals on hand to deny him success as the ski-jumping season starts on Friday. An Austrian strike-force led by World Cup champion Gregor Schlierenzauer and Four Hills champion Wolfgang Loitzl as well as the Swiss duo of world champion Martin Kuettel and World Cup runner-up Simon Ammann is out for further success.
There is German veteran Martin Schmitt and Ahonen also faces stiff competition from Harri Olli in his own Finnish team.
Ahonen, 32, returns to action after one year of retirement during which he admitted in a book to alcohol problems and unhealthy diets in previous years of competition.
"I am confident that I can be successful in Vancouver," said Ahonen, a winner of 36 World Cup events.
The Olympics, which run February 12-28, are the highlight of a season that also features the regular World Cup, the Four Hills Tour and the ski-flying world championships.
The action starts with a World Cup team event on Friday night in Kuusamo, Finland. The World Cup ends March 14 in Oslo and the ski- flying worlds the following week in Planica, Slovenia, wrap up the season.
The opposition has a lot of respect for Ahonen, with Schmitt saying "I believe he can jump for top positions" and Kuettel naming him "a unique athlete and a unique human being."
But the others all fancy their own chances as well, most notably the 13-times 2009 season winner Schlierenzauer.
"I have worked very hard to improve," said Schlierenzauer, adding that "a lot is possible" if his performance is right.
Another dangerous Austrian is Thomas Morgenstern, who finished without a first place last season but will go to Vancouver as a double gold medallist from the 2006 Games in Turin.
"I have prepared very well and feel ready. My training results were good. I want to enjoy the first events and try to reach my best form without any pressure," said Morgenstern.
