Finland wins Nordic Combined team event; Hautamäki 3rd in ski-jumping

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Finland celebrated in Val di Fiemme on Sunday by winning the HS106/4x5 km Nordic Combined team event. The Finnish quartet of Ville Kähkönen, Jaakko Tallus, Anssi Koivuranta, and Hannu Manninen) beat the runners-up Austria by 10.5 seconds. Norway came in third, 49.1 seconds behind the winner. For rookie Kähkönen, it was a first visit to the World Cup podium.
      Yet another Finn, Janne Ryynänen competed in a team combining competitors from Norway, Finland, and France. This team came in seventh.
      After the ski-jumping section, the Finns were in fourth place behind the Austrians, the Norwegians, and the Austrian number two team.
      The victory in the 4x5-kilometre cross-country skiing section was secured for Finland by the team anchor Hannu Manninen, who overcame the Austrian last leg skier Mario Stecher. The result was something of a surprise, given that the Austrian performers have been dominant so far this season, and it augurs well for the World Championships in Sapporo next month.
     
Ski-jumper Matti Hautamäki's up-and-down season continued on a positive note in Saturday's ski-flying event at Norway's Vikersund.
      The Finnish ski-jumping head coach Tommi Nikunen sighed with relief when Hautamäki, who finished third, led the Finnish ski-jumpers to what was so far their strongest team effort this year.
      In Saturday's event there were no fewer than four Finns among the top seven jumpers. Veteran Janne Ahonen secured fourth place, while Harri Olli landed in fifth, his highest World Cup placing to date. Arttu Lappi completed Finland's success by coming seventh.
      The victory in Vikersund went to the World Cup leader Anders Jacobsen of Norway, followed by Austria's Thomas Morgenstern.
      Sunday's World Cup event in Vikersund was cancelled because of high winds. This was the fourth time this season that a ski-jumping event was crossed out because of poor weather conditions.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Welcome return to podium for Matti Hautamäki (2.1.2007)
  Winter Sports: Virpi Kuitunen wins Tour de Ski in fine style; Hannu Manninen back in front in Nordic Combined rankings (8.1.2007)

Links:
  FIS-Ski

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