NORDIC COMBINED. "Le Professeur", that's how the French called Alain Prost, their Formula 1 hero in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The four-time World Champion earned this title because of his successful style of driving characterized by tactics. His fellow countrymen Jason Lamy Chappuis does it in a similar way - and that also very successful. The reigning Olympic and World Champion achieved his four World Cup victories in different ways. In the first competition of the Super Weekend in Val di Fiemme the French used the tactical games of the competition in the Penalty Race to capture his victory in the final lap ahead of Bjoern Kircheisen from Germany and Norwegian Mikko Kokslien.

At first the Austrians used some tactical tricks. Bernhard Gruber won the jumping portion with 136 m on the large hill and was in the lead at the beginning of the 10 km race. His teammate Tomaz Druml, 36th after the jumping and too far behind with 3 penalty laps, took the lead and set the pace in order to help his teammate to break away of the competition. Behind the Austrians, Jason Lamy Chappuis, Japanese Akito Watabe and Tino Edelmann from Germany used their good starting position with no penalty laps to get away of the rest.

Just like Mikko Kokslien, also Bjoern Kircheisen and his teammates Eric Frenzel, Fabian Riessle and Johannes Rydzek ran their penalty laps right after the first round so they were able to attach for the rest of the race. After Druml ran his penalty laps in the final lap Lamy Chappuis took the lead. Only Watabe was able to keep up with the World cup leader until the final climb. While Gruber and Edelmann were surpassed by the next group and came in eighth and eleventh, the Japanese was fighting for the places right behind Lamy Chappuis in the final sprint. There Bjoern Kircheisen defeated Kokslien. The following places went to Frenzel, Watabe, Riessle and Rydzek.

After he was defeated in his own home competitions three times against main rival Alessandro Pittin and was only 25th in the final event, the French now fought back, won in Italy and extended his lead in the overall ranking to 182 points. Pitting was tenth in his first appearance at home with three penalty laps. The new format again brought an exciting competition. The race was completely open until the final lap. Under perfect external conditions on the hill and a perfectly prepared track it was a good final test for the organizer before the World Championships next year.

FISnodriccombined.com
03.02.2012 14:12