Petter Northug is pursuit world champion

23-year-old Petter Northug from Norway took his first individual world champion title in the 15km + 15 km pursuit competition at Liberec 2009. He finished the race just 3.1 seconds ahead of the runner up Anders Soedergren (SWE). The bronze medal went to Giorgio Di Centa from Italy, who finished 11,9 seconds behind the winner.

In the first part of the race, a big group of over 30 athletes stayed together. In the second part the group was spread by an attack of Anders Soedergren. Soedergren broke away from the field and was chased by Northug, Di Centa, Alexander Legkov, Tobias Angerer and Roland Clara. In the last round, only the first four stayed ahead and on the last big uphill, Petter Northug launched the final attack.

For Northug it is the first individual World Champion title. Soedergren made his second silver medal in a World Championships race after being 2nd in 2003 in the 50 km competition in Val di Fiemme. For 36-year-old Giorgio Di Centa it was already the second medal in the World Championships pursuit, as he finished second in Oberstdorf in 2005.

FIS, 22/02/2009

Lodwick takes second gold

In an historic day for the USA, Todd Lodwick took his second World Championship gold and teammate Billy Demong took the bronze during the 2009 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Liberec. Norway's Jan Schmid claimed the silver medal with World Cup leader Anssi Koivuranta (FIN) finishing 4th for the second time at Liberec 2009.

Lodwick and Demong's performance marks the first time two U.S. Nordic Combined athletes have made the World Championship podium together. It was the second of four Nordic Combined events at the Championships, featuring a single jump on the 100 meter hill and a 10K cross country race.

After years of yielding no medals at major competitions, Lodwick has now won two World Championship gold in a matter of days and calls his comeback t the sport nothing less than a fairytale.

FIS, 22/02/2009

Pursuit gold to Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)

26-year-old Justyna Kowalczyk from Poland made her second medal in three days. She won the pursuit race over 7,5 km + 7,5 km just 1,7 seconds ahead of Norwegian Kristin Stoermer Steira. The third place and also a second medal went to the 10 km world champion Aino Kaisa Saarinen from Finland who finished 8 seconds behind Kowalczyk.

It was an exciting race: At the end, the two leaders Steira and Kowalczyk had a tough fight on the last uphill which Kowalczyk won. For Steira, who led for most of the free technique part in front, it is the fourth World Championships medal, and the third in a pursuit World Championships race. She also won a medal in Oberstdorf and in Sapporo in this competition by finishing third both times.

FIS, 21/02/2009

Veerpalu golden in men's 15km

38-year-old Andrus Veerpalu from Estonia took the gold medal in the challenging 15 km classical race at Liberec 2009. Local favorite Lukas Bauer (CZE) claimed the silver after leading for most of the race, while Matti Heikkinen (FIN) surprised with the bronze medal.

For Veerpalu, the 2006 Olympic Champion in the 15 km classical race, it was the second World Champion title after winning the 30 km classical race 2001 in Lahti. Veerpalu also became the oldest world champion in history with his victory at Liberec 2009. Lukas Bauer, who was already second behind Veerpalu in 2006 at the Olympic Games captured his first individual medal at a World Championships and for the 25-year-old Heikkinen it was the best finish ever - he has never finished on a World Cup podium in his career.

FIS, 20/02/2009

Lodwick comes from retirement to snag mass start gold

Todd Lodwick (USA) laid down two lengthy jumps after he led the cross-country to win the gold at a mass start Nordic Combined race at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Liberec (CZE) on Friday. German Tino Edelmann won the silver ahead of Frenchman Jason Lamy Chappuis.

Lodwick made the decision to come out of retirement at 32 to pursue his dream of being a world champion. After four Olympics and seven World Championships, Friday marked Lodwick's first medal in either competitive arena.

Unlike the now standard World Cup format for Nordic Combined, the mass start features cross-country first, followed by two jumps instead of one. The format puts an emphasis on jumping. It's the first time it has been in the World Championships and will not be run at the Olympics.

Snow was falling in Liberec for the late afternoon jumps. In the first of two rounds, Tino Edelman (GER) put down the gauntlet with a massive 100.5 meter jump. Lodwick, jumping last, was up to the challenge and matched the distance to maintain his lead.

In the second round, French Jason Lamy Chappuis flew to 99.5 meters to move into the top spot. Edelman countered at only 97.0, but it was enough to move ahead. Lodwick needed a strong jump to win, and he got it, hitting 97.5 meters to become the world champion.

The mass start event hit a snag on Thursday when strong winds forced organizers to postpone the jumping portion of the event to Friday.

FIS, 20/02/2009

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