Sapporo: Manninen wins elusive NC sprint world title

By Published On: February 23rd, 2007Comments Off on Sapporo: Manninen wins elusive NC sprint world title


SAPPORO, Japan — Finland's Hannu Manninen finally won an individual gold medal after he surged from behind Friday to win the Nordic combined 7.5-kilometer sprint at the Nordic World Championships.
    Manninen, who has three World Cup titles and leads the Nordic combined standings this year, had never previously won an individual gold medal at the Olympics or the world championships.
    In cross-country events, Cristian Zorzi edged Russia's Vassili Rotchev in a photo finish as Italy took the men's team sprint gold medal. On the women's side, World Cup leader Virpi Kuitunen and Liisa Riitta Roponen of Finland captured the gold medal.


SAPPORO, Japan — Finland's Hannu Manninen finally won an individual gold medal after he surged from behind Friday to win the Nordic combined 7.5-kilometer sprint at the Nordic World Championships.
    Manninen, who has three World Cup titles and leads the Nordic combined standings this year, had never previously won an individual gold medal at the Olympics or the world championships.
    ''This is my dream and my goal,'' said Manninen. ''I've spent so much time thinking of this moment and now I am relieved and happy.''
    Germany's Bjorn Kircheisen went into the cross-country portion of the event with a 16-second lead after nailing the longest jump of 134 meters on the large hill.
    Manninen started the cross-country race in ninth place, 49 seconds off the lead after a jump of 125 meters. He finished with a time of 17 minutes, 40.2 seconds.
    Norway's Magnus Moan was 0.03 seconds off the pace for silver while Kircheisen took bronze.
    ''The finish with Magnus was very tough,'' added Manninen. ''I had to do everything I could to win. I knew I was very strong in that kind of finish, I knew I had a chance and that I couldn't miss it.''
    Japan's Daito Takahashi suffered a horrendous spill when his left ski became elevated during his jump on the large hill.
    Takahashi was taken to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with a broken left shoulder.
    In cross-country events, Cristian Zorzi edged Russia's Vassili Rotchev in a photo finish as Italy took the men's team sprint gold medal.
    Russia took the lead just before the last changeover, but Zorzi completed a strong final lap to give Italy its first medal of the meet. The Czech Republic finished third.
    Tor Arne Hetland crashed out midway through the final and favorite Norway finished a disappointing seventh. Olympic gold medalist Sweden failed to qualify for the final.
    The Italian team of Zorzi and Renato Pasini finished with a time of 17 minutes, 50.6 seconds. The U.S. team of Andy Newell and Torin Koos finished in 15th.
    Newell — who was fifth Thursday night in the classic technique sprint — and Koos, were missing their snap, according to U.S. head coach Pete Vordenberg.
    "The guys were really pooped from last night. This is one of the toughest events in skiing. You have to be ready for a distance race and a sprint, and if you're not ready, if your fitness isn't up there, you won't do well because you're racing continually," he said.
    "So now we know we have to work even more on our fitness. Fifteen or 18 hours after last night is a short time, and we're just not in a place where they can do that. Some of these other nations have enough skiers that they don't have to race both events and they can be better prepared for this team sprint.
    "Y'know, progress is measurable, and now we've learned where we're at … and, really, this is where we are. And next year we'll be farther along."  
    In the women's team sprint, World Cup leader Virpi Kuitunen and Liisa Riitta Roponen of Finland captured the gold medal with a winning time of 16:20.9.
    The German team of Evi Sachenbacher Stehle and Claudia Kuenzel-Nystad took silver.
    Defending champions Norway, comprising individual sprint gold medalist Astrid Jacobsen and defending World Cup sprint champion Marit Bjorgen, finished more than three seconds back in third place.
    The U.S. team of Kikkan Randall and Laura Valaas narrowly missed qualifying for the final heats Friday, finishing just 2.7 seconds out of the top five.  
    "Kikkan skied up a storm — she was firing like we know she can," Vordenberg said. "Laura was a little timid in her first lap, but she learned and she was stronger, more forceful as the race continued. For her first time at this level — she still hasn't skied in a World Cup, she's skied well; she's learning and Laura's the real deal. I'm pleased with what she's done."
    The 2007 championships mark the first time the meet is being held as an independent event in Asia. In 1972, when the Olympic Winter Games were held in Sapporo, they doubled as the FIS World Ski Championships.
    The competition will continue Saturday with the cross-country 15-kilometer pursuit and ski jumping events.

    — The Associated Press and USSA contributed to this report


Nordic World Championships
Cross-Country Team Sprint
Men

1. Italy, 17 minutes, 50.6 seconds.
2. Russia, 17:50.6.
3. Czech Republic, 17:51.3.
4. Germany, 17:51.4.
5. Poland, 17:51.5.
6. Canada, 17:54.9.
7. Norway, 17:58.7.
8. Kazakhstan, 18:10.0.
9. Austria, 18:11.9.
10. Estonia, 18:45.7.

Women
1. Finland, 16:20.9.
2. Germany, 16:21.6.
3. Norway, 16:24.0.
4. Sweden, 16:40.5.
5. Kazakhstan, 16:42.8.
6. Belarus, 16:44.0.
7. Slovakia, 16:45.5.
8. Italy, 16:53.6.
9. Slovenia, 17:24.5.
10 China, 17.28.1.

Nordic Combined 7.5-kilometer sprint
1. Hannu Manninen, Finland, 17:40.2.
2. Magnus Moan, Norway, 0.03 seconds behind.
3. Bjorn Kircheisen, Germany, 29.5.
4. Anssi Koivuranta, Finland, 35.2.
5. Felix Gottwald, Austria, 52.1.
6. Petter Tande, Norway, 57.9.
7. Jason Lamy Chappuis, France, 58.2.
8. Ronny Ackermann, Germany, 58.6.
9. David Kreiner, Austria, 1:17.9.
10. Maxime Laheurte, 1:18.5.

 

 

 

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About the Author: Pete Rugh