Advantage: Frenzel in Trondheim

Eric Frenzel has been able to take valuable World Cup points with a victory in Trondheim today and took the yellow bib from Johannes Rydzek. Finishing 19.2 seconds earlier, he overtook and distanced his rival to 14 points in the overall World Cup standings. Fabian Rießle completed another all-German podium on the third rank, +22.2 seconds behind Frenzel.

As Trondheim was experiencing heavy wind and snow showers, the ski jumping round had to be cancelled and yesterday’s PCR used. A beautiful jump of 138 metres had catapulted Austrian Mario Seidl to the top of the result list. With 136.2 points, Seidl had a head start of 16 seconds on Manuel Faißt from Germany. Faißt had landed at 135.5 metres.  The third rank and momentary advantage in the fight for the overall 2016/17 went to Eric Frenzel, who had a good jump of 132 metres in challenging conditions.

Rival Johannes Rydzek had even more challenging conditions and ranked eleventh with 121.5 metres. This meant a time disadvantage of one minute and 23 seconds on the leader. Frenchman Maxime Laheurte and Japanese Akito Watabe impressed with good performances and claimed positions four and five. They started their races at +0:58 and +1:01 respectively.

Mario Seidl skied a lonely first lap but got company from Eric Frenzel and Manuel Faißt on the second of five laps. Behind the leading trio, a pursuing group formed with local hero Magnus Moan, Akito Watabe, Johannes Rydzek and Fabian Rießle. During the race, the winter returned full swing to Trondheim and the conditions were not easy with lots of wind, snow and a soft track. On the fourth lap, it got harder and harder for Magnus Moan as a tall and heavier athlete to follow the other three pursuers.

In front, Eric Frenzel was able to shake teammate Faißt and Mario Seidl and for these two there was also no holding off Johannes Rydzek, Fabian Rießle and Akito Watabe. In the end, Rydzek mobilised all powere reserves but was not able to keep Eric Frenzel from winning and effectively taking the yellow bib from him. However, he minimised the damage by taking the second position. Fabian Rießle beat Akito Watabe in a finish line sprint. Mario Seidl and Manuel Faißt finished fifth and sixth.

Local hero Magnus Moan claimed the final seventh rank but was still allowed to visit the Crown Prince of Norway together with Eric Frenzel and all overall winners of the FIS Youth Cup. Ilkka Herola, Francois Braud and Bernhard Gruber completed the Top Ten.