Germany dominant in mixed team event

Defending champion Germany, with individual World Champion Carina Vogt, bronze medalist Markus Eisenbichler, Svenja Wuerth and indivdiual silver medalist Andreas Wellinger, took a clear win in the mixed team competition on the normal hill with a total of 1035.5 points. Austria, represented by Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, Michael Hayboeck, Jacqueline Seifriedsberger and individual World Champion Stefan Kraft, came in second 36.2 points behind the winners. Japan (Sara Takanashi, Taku Takeuchi, Yuki Ito, Daiki Ito) finished third with 979.9 points. The Norwegians, who won silver two years ago in Falun, came in only fifth.

Germany laid the foundation for this triumph already in the first round under constant snow fall. The team of the head coaches Andreas Bauer and Werner Schuster already had a lead of 17.9 points over Austria and 26.4 points over Japan. With Slovenia (4th) and Norway (5th), the top five positions were already clear after the first half of the competition, there were no changes in the final round.

Carina Vogt always on the team

Germany already won the third medal in the third editions of a mixed team event at WSC. After bronze in Val di Fiemme (ITA) 2013 and gold in Falun, they now defended the title in Finland. Carina Vogt, who won her second gold medal today after she already won the individual event on the normal hill in Lahti, was on the team at all three WSC. Markus Eisenbichler, Svenja Wuerth and Andreas Wellinger won their first gold. "The medal is very important for me, one doesn't become World Champion every day", said the 21-year-old from Ruhpolding. And Eisenbichler especially praised Carina Vogt. "Carina is always top at these big events. That's remarkable." The Olympic and World Champion then praised her teammate Eisenbichler. "He is always in a good mood and brings a good spirit to the team." The good performance of the German team was completed by Svenja Wuerth, who was sixth in the individual competition. "This title is amazing, it has to sick in now", said the 23-year-old from Baiersbron. "I lost some points at the landing in both rounds." The two coaches of the German athletes were more than happy. "I never thought that we would take such a clear win", said Werner Schuster. "Carina did a great job, but so did the others. Everyone showed a top performance." Ladies' head coach Andreas Bauer could hardly find words: "This is incredible, amazing."

Same team as in Falun

With winning the silver medal today, the Austrians, who also won silver in Val di Fiemme, could make amends for the fourth place in Falun - and that with the exact same team. "At the last WSC we were en route to the medal, but at the end Japan was a bit stronger", said men's head coach Heinz Kuttin. "Everyone showed good jumps today, but they weren't very good." Especially Daniela Iraschko-Stolz and Michael Hayboeck, who jumped in the first two groups, lost too much ground compared to the Germans. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, who was competing in all three mixed team events at WSC, was the best in her group in both rounds, Stefan Kraft scored 3.2 points less than Andreas Wellinger.

Japan men not good enough

Four years ago Japan won WSC gold, now it was bronze - like in Falun, when Noriaki Kasai was on the team instead of Daiki Ito. Overall World Cup champion Sara Takanashi was behind Carina Vogt in both rounds, Yuki Ito was 0.2 points behind Seifriedsberger in the first round, in the final round of the best eight teams she was the best of her group. Taku Takeuchi and Daiki Ito could not keep up with the best. But their performances were still enough to finish ahead of Slovenia and Norway. For Slovenia, the ladies Nika Kriznar and Ema Klinec didn't jump far enough, like Peter Prevc who had a bad first jump with only 88 m. Anze Lanisek on the other hand, showed two good jumps with 93.5 m and 96.5 m.

Norway never had a chance to fight for the medals, Silje Opseth already lost too much ground in the first group. But also Maren Lundby, fourth in the individual event, and Daniel Andre Tande (15th in the individual) could meet the expectations. Johann Andre Forfang had some health problems right before the competiton and was replaced by Andreas Stjernen.

The Czech missed the qualify for the final in ninth, 0.5 points behind the USA. Finland (11th), with Ville Larinto and Janne Ahonen, also failed to qualify for the second round.