COC-M: Harald Riiber defends family honour in Oberwiesenthal

Also in FIS Continental Cup the man to beat is called “Riiber”. Even though younger brother Jarl “only” captured the second place in the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Val di Fiemme (ITA) today, Harald Riiber kept the family colours flying at the first Continental Cup event in Oberwiesenthal (GER).

Like his brother Jarl, Harald laid the foundation for his success in a great jumping performance. With 103 metres, Riiber won the round with 124.2 points, after having set a new hill record of 110.5 metres in the PCR that was held earlier in the morning. Soetvik was second with 102 metres (121.8 p.) and Simen Tiller third with a great jump of 107.5 metres in good wind conditions (120.7 p.). Overall leader Jakob Lange was ranked 9th after the jumping part with a distance of 94 metres (102.8 p), +1:26 minutes behind Riiber.

This jumping result already promised an exciting cross-country race. The three Norwegians stayed together throughout the race, followed closely by the young Austrian Manuel Einkemmer, who was in fourth position after the jumping with a jump of 102 metres (120.4 p.) In third lap Einkemmer took the lead, but was not able to get rid of the Norwegian trio. Because the four athletes in front were beating time, strong cross-country skier Lange was getting closer and closer.

In fifth lap Riiber was the one to set an attack, which none of his teammates or Einkemmer were able to keep up with. Soetvik, Tiller and Einkemmer were fighting for second and third place right until the finish line – with the better ending for the two Norwegians.

Lange was not quite able to catch up with the leading group, but ended up on a good fifth place, followed by Norway’s Lars Ivar Skaarset on six and Austria’s Paul Gerstgraser in seventh place. Dominik Terzer, Jakob Eiksund Saethre and Lars Buraas, who was able to make up 21 places with the fastest cross-country time completed the top ten.

Final Results
Ski Jumping Results

Romina Eggert