the four hills tournament counts as part of the world cup season. before the competition in oberstorf, eight out of twenty-eight events were already held. janne ahonen had won seven of them, and placed second in the only one he did not. this early-season dominance of the finnish athlete, who had already won the four hills tournament twice before, made him the favourite for the title, and ahonen did not disappoint. he won the first three events, though he failed to become the second ski jumper after sven hannawald to win all four events of the tournament when runners-up martin höllwarth snatched the victory at the final event in bischofshofen.