Janda wins another ski jumping title

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) -- Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic won the second leg of the annual ski jumping Four Hills tour for his fifth World Cup victory of the season.

Janda tied Janne Ahonen of Finland at 226.5 meters after two leaps, but received more style points for his control in the air and smooth landings.

Janda had 264.7 points, 2.5 more than defending champion Ahonen. Matti Hautamaki of Finland was third.

Ahonen won the Four Hills opener at Oberstdorf and has 533.1 points overall, while Janda has 527.3.

Janda is trying to become the first Czech winner of the Four Hills in more than 30 years.

Associated Press
Sunday January 1, 2006 12:27PM

Bystoel wins third Four Hills event 

INNSBRUCK (AP) - Norway's Lars Bystoel won the third event of the Four Hills ski jumping tour on the Bergisel ski jump Wednesday.
Bystoel was only 42nd in qualifying. Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic finished second, followed by another Norwegian, Bjorn Einar Romoeren, in third.

Bystoel, who recorded two podium finishes in Lillehammer, Norway, earlier this season, celebrated his first career World Cup victory with jumps of 127 and 129.5 meters, which gave him 264.7 points. Janda was 1.5 points behind, while Romoeren had 258.1 points.

"I am so happy. I have been working hard for this victory, but today all the work paid off", Bystoel said.

Despite his win in Innsbruck, the Norwegian is not a serious challenger to new overall leader Janda. Although the Czech lost his first-jump duel with Janne Ahonen, he overtook the Finn with a 133-meter second leap.

Janda came back from 13th after the first leg to reach the podium and is now top in the overall standings with 790.5 points. Ahead of the last tour event on Friday, Janda leads Ahonen by two points overall. Third-placed Roar Ljoekelsoey of Norway has 775.1 points.

Janda also extended his lead in the World Cup. After 10 of 23 events, the Czech has 792 points, followed by Ahonen (655) and Swiss Andreas Kuettel, 527.

Germany's Martin Schmitt withdrew from the Four Hills tour's final event in Bischofshofen. The four-time world champion, who is off form and failed to qualify for the main events in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Innsbruck, has returned home.

Associated Press
04/01/2006 15:56

Norway's Pedersen wins cross-country gold
 
Hilde Pedersen of Norway (middle) earned her first World Cup cross-country victory on Saturday. (AP Photo/NIPA) Hilde Pedersen of Norway won the women's 10-kilometre cross-country ski race Saturday in Otepaa, Esotnia.

It was the first career World Cup victory for the 41-year-old, who had 62 top-10 finishes going into the race.

"I never expected this," she said. "It's unbelievable that this win would come now. I'm not in top shape, but naturally it's great to finally stand on top of the podium."

Pedersen posted a winning time of 27 minutes, 9.4 seconds, edging runner-up Kristina Smigun of Estonia by 0.2 seconds.

Pedersen moved into fifth place in the overall standings with 337 points. Fellow Norwegian Marit Bjorgen, who finished fourth Saturday, retained the overall lead with 540 points.

Russia's Vassili Rotchev won the men's 15-kilometre race in 37:15.3, beating Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic by half a second.

Germany's Tobias Angerer leads the men's standings with 485 points. Rotchev is fourth with 239 points.

CBC Sports
Sat Jan 7 14:03:05 EST 2006

Finland's Manninen wins 5th nordic combined World Cup

Hannu Manninen skies to another World Cup gold. (Photo: Jens Meyer / AP Photo) Hannu Manninen of Finland won his fifth nordic combined World Cup victory of the season in Schonach, Germany, Friday in the individual Gundersen competition.

The Gunderson event involves ski-jumping and cross-country skiing. The skier who finishes first in the ski-jumping gets to go first in the cross-country race.

Manninen started the cross-country ski with a one minute, 44-second deficit. During the 15-kilometre race he caught eight skiers in the lead pack and cruised to the finish in 35:18.1 for yet another World Cup gold medal.

Austrian Christoph Bieler, who was first in the ski jumping competition, skied to silver, only 21 seconds behind Manninen. Norway's Magnus Moan followed close behind for the bronze.

Jason Myslicki of Thunder Bay, Ont., was the lone Canadian in the race. He finished 36th in the 36-athlete field with a time of 41:42.4.

Manninen solidified his lead in the overall World Cup rankings with 245 points. German skier Ronny Ackerman is second overall with 205 points and Norwegian Magnus Moan is third with 156 points.

The next race of the nordic combined World Cup circuit will be a sprint competition on Jan.14 in Val Di Fiemme, Italy.

CBC Sports
Fri Jan 6 11:11:37 EST 2006