Koivuranta caps yet another Nordic Combined World Cup event in Schonach

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Anssi Koivuranta remains as fit as a flea from one week to the next. Over the weekend, the 20-year-old from Kuusamo captured his career fourth Nordic Combined World Cup victory in Schonach, Germany.
      All four wins have come this season.
      Koivuranta, who won the ski jumping portion of the event, was the first off in the ten-kilometre ski race, and he was also the first man to cross the finish line.
     
”It definitely wasn’t easy. The day was really hard. Fortunately I received very good info on the track throughout the race”, Koivuranta told Helsingin Sanomat over the telephone.
      In the end Koivuranta beat Bill Demong of the United States by 6.7 seconds and Björn Kircheisen of Germany by 7.1 seconds.
      “I was lucky in that I was able to save myself a little bit on the third lap. The last round I went as hard as I could from start to finish. No mercy”, the winner described the cross-country section of the event.
      “This was the most labour-intensive win of my career. The skiing in particular took its toll. I really wouldn't have been able to ski another metre”, Koivuranta commented.
     
After Hannu Manninen wound up his illustrious Nordic Combined career last spring, many feared that the Finns would be left to play second fiddle in the sport that Manninen - and triple Olympic gold medallist Samppa Lajunen before him - had basically owned.
      Koivuranta has proved such fears groundless.
      The World Championships will take place in Liberec in February. Koivuranta has got a clear goal. “My aim is to have something else hanging around my neck than just the competition ID when I come back. A World Championship medal would be really neat. I am not even that bothered about its colour.”
     
The Nordic Combined World Cup is now half way through. After nine events, Koivuranta is in the lead, 196 points ahead of Demong.
      “I have not thought about the overall victory at all. I like to take it one race at a time, seek success and enjoy it.”
      “Thinking about things doesn't do anyone any good. In sports the only thing that matters is what you deliver.”
     
The head coach of the Finnish team Kimmo Savolainen purred with satisfaction despite his acute bronchitis.
      “Anssi’s performance was strong, but the whole team did well, particularly in the ski jumping section”, Savolainen coughed.
      In Schonach Jaakko Tallus finished 13th, Janne Ryynänen 17th, and 19-year-old Lauri Asikainen, who was impressively fifth after the hill, came home a weary 39th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  A very good weekend on skis (1.12.2008)

Links:
  Anssi Koivuranta on the FIS pages

Helsingin Sanomat