COCM: Thomas Jöbstl wins final event in Ruka

Austria’s Thomas Jöbstl topped up a really good weekend in Ruka with a victory on the final day. After a third and a sixth place, Jöbstl crossed the finish line first today, beating teammate Martin Fritz by 18.9 seconds. Norway’s Harald Johnas Riiber was third, crossing the finish line 22.4 seconds after the winner.

Riiber had topped the list after the jumping event, which was Saturday's Provisional Competition Round. Extreme wind conditions did not allow any jumping today. Riiber claimed the pole position after a jump of 133.5 metres (125.2 p.) but a leading group of athletes quickly formed as his opponents were not too far off. Martin Fritz had the second-best jump with the longest distance of the day, 136 metres and a point total of 122.0. He started 13 seconds behind Riiber, yesterday’s winner Sindre Ure Søtvik followed from the third position, +0:18 behind Riiber. At this point, Jöbstl was one minute and 28 seconds behind the leader because he had jumped to 125 metres.

In the race, the fastest times were clearly in Austrian hands again. Fastest man on the skinny skis was Bernhard Flaschberger, who needed 26:13.5 for the hard 10 km and improved from position 17 to seven. Paul Gerstgraser skied from 19 to 10 with the second-fastest time and winner Thomas Jöbstl had the third-fastest time, which catapulted him to a clear victory in the end.

Also doing well was the German duo of David Welde and Tobias Simon, who ended up on positions four and five, Florian Dagn, Bernhard Flaschberger and Paul Gerstgraser rounded out a great Austrian team result with ranks six, seven and ten. Sindre Ure Søtvik claimed rank eight, Japan’s Go Sonehara was ninth.