SKI JUMPING.After a competition under great conditions on Saturday, also the conditions were perfect again for athletes and spectators on third day of competition in Lillehammer. And at the end of the day last winter's standards were restored: Two Austrians and one Norwegian were on the podium. The winner of yesterday's event, Germany's Severin Freund, lost his chances for a second top result already with a bad first jump.

In an exciting and highly competitive final round Austrian Gregor Schlierenzauer won with the tiny margin of 0.1 points ahead of Anders Fannemel (NOR) and Thomas Morgenstern (AUT). After he could not show his full potential as eighth on Saturday, he stood on top of the podium for the 41st time. "41 World Cup victories sounds much, I don't feel that old", Schlierenzauer said smiling. "I'm totally satisfied, especially because normally I don't do that well at the beginning of the season. It's nice that we are now going to Kuusamo. The conditions are often difficult there, but I'm looking forward to the competitions", the winner said after his jumps of 141 m and 137 m (275.5 points).

A successful weekend for the Norwegians ended today with a great performance of Anders Fannemel. After the win in the mixed-team competition and the two podium results of Anders Bardal and Anette Sagen, the newly crowned Norwegian champion achieved a second place with 140 m and 134 m (275.4 points). The team of Norway not only impressed with podium finishes in all competitions this weekend, but also with a tight team performance. With Anders Jacobsen and Anders Bardal two more Norwegians were in the Top 10. Especially impressive were the performances of Anders Jacobsen, who had already retired from ski jumping and is now back with two fourth places.

Morgenstern wears Yellow

Thomas Morgenstern was the strongest athlete in both competitions on the normal- and large hill combined. After his second place on Saturday he concluded a successful weekend for him with the third place in today's event: "It was a great weekend, it didn't expect it to be that way. This gives me a positive feeling and self confidence. it will definitely give me yet another boost to jump with the Yellow Bib in Kuusamo", told the Austrian (135 m and 134 m; 269.4 points). With his performances he earned the lead in the overall World Cup and will take the trip to Kuusamo with the Yellow Leader's Bib.

Severin Freund could not follow up on Saturday's performance. After a bad jump in the first round of 122.5 m he lost all chances for a very good result. In the final round he could move up from 27th to 16th. Young German Andreas Wellinger, who achieved a great result with the fifth place in his World Cup debut yesterday, scored some points again as 17th today.
 
Bad luck for Janne Happonen
 
Bad luck for Finland's Janne Happonen. He fell at the landing in the qualification round, would have qualified for the competition but was not able to compete. He twisted his left knee and will no undergo medical examination at home in Kuopio.
 
The competition was influenced by computer problems in the final round. The judges' marks were transmitted wrongly or not at all and so various interruptions were necessary. The official result was confirmed 15 minutes after the competition.

FISskijumping.com
25.11.2012 16:17

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