Austrian leads ski jumping qualifying

PRAGELATO, Italy, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Thomas Morgenstern of Austria led qualifying Friday for the Olympic large hill ski jumping event.

Morgenstern was exempt from qualifying, as were 14 others, but they all tested out the conditions with a qualifying jump.

Morgenstern received a score of 136.8, followed by Finland's Janne Ahonen at 136.0 and Andreas Kofler of Austria at 133.5.

Normal hill gold medalist Lars Bystoel of Norway was sixth in qualifying at 129.2 and silver medalist Matti Hautamaeki of Finland was fifth at 129.6.

The best effort among those who were not exempt from qualifying was turned in by Japan's Noriaki Kasai, who wound up ninth.