Newcomer Falk took her second World Cup victory in a tight finish with Petra Majdic from Slowenia. The third place took Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN). Just edged out of the podium finished Ida Ingemardsdotter on the fourth place. Kirsi Peraelae and Pirjo Muranen from Finland took the fifth and the sixth rank.

Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), who finished in the today's competition on 7th place, is still leading the overall World Cup ranking 78 points ahead Petra Majdic. Aino Kaisa Saainen is ranked third.

In the sprint World Cup ranking, Petra Majdic is in a comfortable lead with 422 points in total ahead of Aino Kaisa Saarinen who has currently 295 points.

In the men's race, Emil Joensson completed the Swedish success. He won the race and took his first season victory as well in a tight final ahead of Ola Vigen Hattestad from Norway. The third place took Nikita Kriukov from Russia. Also in the final skied Jesse Vaeaenaenen from Finland (4th place), Alexander Panzhinskiy (RUS, 5th place) and Bjoern Lind (SWE, 6th place).

In the World Cup overall ranking, there was no change today. Still Petter Northug (NOR) is leading ahead of Lukas Bauer (CZE) and Marcus Hellner (SWE).

In the men's Sprint Cup it is quite tight. Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR) is leading 23 points ahead of Emil Joensson (SWE). Just one point behind Joensson is Petter Northug (NOR), who was not at the start at this weekend.

Hanna Falk (SWE)
I'm very happy, I feel strong. Petra is really good skier, but I really felt strong and I'm good in the last part. I didn't expect I'll have a World cup win in this season, my main goal was to start at World cup.
On Olympics I want to be in good shape and then be in top. I haven't been in Vancouver yet, but I saw it on computer, it's flat at the end like in Otepää and I think it's nice. Now I'm going to Swedish Championships and then to Canada for few weeks before Olympics.

Petra Majdic (SLO)
I'm very satisfied. I came to Otepää to pick up as many points as possible and after yesterday's 5th position in long distance I was feeling good, but I had some problems this weekend. Yesterday I was a little bit slow-motion, so I was very glad I could sprint today.
I'm very glad for the 2nd place, I felt stronger and stronger after every lap. But when I saw Joensson, how fast skis he had, I knew I'll have a problem, because here are long downhills and long flat parts.
Hanna is really a fighter and beat me in the finish. Now I'm going to Rogla to sleep in high altitude for 10 days. Then we'll move to Toblach.

Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN)
This was a fighting day for me. I had a little bit stomach problems in the morning so I'm very glad I can be today on the podium. In last two heats I had a little bit cramps in my hands, so I'm happy for today's result. Today I was good in uphills, it was the keypoint, but at the end you have to have power as well, because here is a long finish. On Saturday I'm going to Italy to pre-camp and then directly to Canada. My main goals on Olympics will be both classic races.

Emil Joensson (SWE)
Today it was really fun, good race, tough race, perfect conditions. I'm on the plan when I want to be before Olympics, so I feel happy. The key point was on the last 200-300 metres, you have to be on the top but still have some more power to finish. The course a little bit similar like on the Olympics. Now I'll train and train and train. Next week we have Swedish championships, then I'll go to precamp and then we have already Olympics, where I want to be in the top and in the good shape.

Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR)
Before finish I was pretty sure I can win today, but finally I didn't have enough power. It's hard course, it's quite important to be in top 3 all the time, because there are dangoreous corners when is usually made some gap. It looks that Swedish and Russian team had really good skis today, but my skis vere also okay. Emil was the best today, I hope I will beat him next time, it means on the Olympics.

Nikita Kriukov (RUS)
In prolog my skis weren't good, but then I felt my skis worked very good. Today I'm happy, but I want to win, so next time if I win, I'll be more happy. I had great start of this season, next week we have world cup in Russia and then I'm flying to Canada.

FIScrosscountry.com
Sunday 17 January 2010

Norwegian Magnus Moan wins second nordic combined competition in a row

Norwegian Magnus Moan won the nordic combined World Cup in Chaux-Neuve again. Like already on the day before the 26-year-old won with a race time of 24:10.8 minutes close ahead of local hero Jason Lamy Chappuis (+1:0). Mario Stecher from Austria was third (+13.6).

The race looked like a homerun for Jason Lamy Chappuis for a long time. "My tactic was the try to run alone in front", he explained later. In front of a home crowd and cheered on by the fans the French, who started second behind Bernhard Gruber (+0:06), soon took the lead. But the lead to the followers, at the beginning about 20 seconds, was melting and the group with strong pacemakers like Magnus Moan and Bill Demong got closer. For the winner Magnus Moan everything went according to the plan so far. "In cross country I had the same tactics as yesterday - just run my own race and get closer to the leader."

At the beginning of the last roung Moan, Demong, Mario Stecher and Pavel Churavy were only about eight seconds behind the French. Bernhard Gruber was not part of the leading group anymore. With the followers in his back Lamy Chappuis forced the pace - but Moan could still get closer. In one of the last downhills Moan could finally close the gap, but that track was too small to overtake. He did that short before the home stretch and had more reserves than the French for the finish.

The Norwegian knew how close this victory was: "I ran better than yesterday - but still, if the course would have been 50 m shorter Jason would have won. I'm very happy, never before could I win on two consecutive days." Even if Lamy Chappuis closely missed the home victory for the second time in a row he was satisfied with his race: "The fans were cheering so loud, but still I could hear my coach well - so I heard that Moan was 20 seconds behind me in the third round. Unfortunately he closed the gap in the last round. He was too strong in the final sprint." For the third-placed Mario Stecher this podium result was very important: "I didn't expect that it would go that well. I'm satisfied with my jump, our whole team is getting better and better in jumping. I also had a good race, I benefited from the fact that our skis were better than yesterday." Traditionally it's a problem for the Austrian team that there is no good cross-country infrastructure and no cross country team in their country with which they could exchange know-how concerning the equipment and skiservice. This is a disadvantage compared to the Norwegians, for example.

The day started turbulent this morning. Due to the weather conditions the trial round was cancelled and it was not clear if the jumping portion could take place. In spite of heavy snowfall at the beginning the round was finally started. This was not an easy situation for the athletes. "This morning I thought that the jumping would not take place - that it was started messed up my plan for the competition. I tried my best and could make my best competition jump of the season", said Moan. After about 20 athletes the snowfall decreased and for the rest of the round the conditions were stable.

With the longest jump of the day on exactly 100 m Austrian Bernhard Gruber won the competition (128.4 points). Local hero Jason Lamy Chappuis was second with 98.5 m (126.9 points), like yesterday German youngster Johannes Rydzek (96m, 122.3 points) was third. Gruber finished the cross country race as eleventh (+1:05.5), Rydzek achieved his best World Cup result with a great performance as sixth (+42.5).

After this result the 18-year-old from Oberstdorf shall now be seeded for the German team for the Olympic Games, that was also confirmed by his coach Andreas Bauer: "Our recommendation as coaches is clearly to nominate Johannes as fourth athlete besides Edelmann, Frenzel and Kircheisen. I'm sure that the decisive committees will agree." Rydzek was overwhelmed by his Olympic perspectives: "A dream comes true. Every child dreams of Olympic Games and I can be part of it!" But first he wants to win a medal at the Junior World Championships in two weeks.

Before the race also two German veterans, who are still fighting to qualify for the Olympics, were within reach - Georg Hettich as eighth after the jumping (94.5 m, 116.7 points, +0:47) and Ronny Ackermann as eleventh (97 m, 114.6 points, +0:55). Ackermann finished as 18th (+1:36.3), Hettich landed only on place 29 (+2:20.2). Olympic and World Champion Ackermann consideres his chances on a spot in the Olympic team as low: "My performances are still too bad. I don't have high hopes and wait until Schonach next week. Then the decision about who will be the fifth German for Vancouver shall be made.

At the moment it looks like as if the overall World Cup might be decided early. Jason Lamy Chappuis leads with 869 points ahead of Austrian Felix Gottwald (589 points). If the French can extend his lead from 280 to 300 points in the three remaining competitions before the Olympic Games he will win this title - no matter what happens in the three competitions after the Games in March.

FISnordiccombined.com
Sunday 17 January 2010