SGP: Rydzek wins eventful Compact race

Johannes Rydzek is the first male winner of an Individual Compact competition that celebrated its premiere in Villach (AUT) today.

Christian Deuschl was in the lead on home soil after the Ski Jumping round in the Villacher Alpenarena.

In the new competition format, which is being tested for the first time as part of this year's Summer Grand Prix, all athletes complete one jump and a 7.5 km race. Unlike the Individual Gundersen, the Individual Compact has fixed starting times, depending on the ranking, not the difference in points is.

In bright sunshine the Austrian reached 93 meters (128.5 pts) at the HS98 and took the lead. Therefore, he was the first one to start into the 7.5 km compact race in the evening. 
Rank 2 after jumping went to his team mate Stefan Rettenegger, who reached the furthest distance of the day with 93.5 meters (126.5 pts) and went into the course 6 seconds after Deuschl, according to the fixed starting time table of the Individual Compact.

Ilkka Herola (93.5 mts, 126.2 pts) placed third, 12 seconds behind the leader.

The leading trio made a serious mistake at the first lapping after 2.5km. Instead of following the signposted route, they crossed the finish line, taking a shortcut and being disqualified.

The protest subsequently submitted by Austria and Finland was rejected by the jury, so that they were excluded from the evaluation.

Instead, Johannes Rydzek reached the finish line first and secured the yellow bib of the Summer Grand Prix Overall leader.

Second place went to his teammate Terence Weber (+0.8 sec) after an exciting sprint to the finish line, while Johannes Lamparter (+3.2 sec) achieved his first Grand Prix podium on home soil with rank three.

SJ Results: Compact Men HS98/7.5km – 2.9.23 Villach
Results: Compact Men HS98/7.5km – 2.9.23 Villach