German coach Werner Schuster has backed Janne Ahonen to impress on his return to the World Cup this weekend.

The Finn, twice winner of the World Cup and the all-time leading points scorer in the season-long series, retired in 2008 but announced his return to competition in March.

Ahonen starts his comeback on home snow in Kuusamo as he targets a return to top form in time for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Schuster said. “For years he was the figurehead in ski jumping and had the greatest stability of all the top jumpers.