Kircheisen edges battle with Demong

Posted: Sunday 21st December 2008 | 19:50

GERMANY'S Bjorn Kircheisen took advantage of demanding conditions to open his Nordic combined World Cup account.

Officials twice delayed Saturday's ski-jumping - which decided the start order for today's 10km cross country ski - as swirling winds and rain made it a lottery for competitors in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria.

Kircheisen was pushed all the way by American Bill Demong, winning by a slender three tenth of a second margin.

France's Jason Lamy Chappuis completed the podium while overall World Cup leader, Finland's Anssi Koivuranta, was fourth.

In Duesseldorf, Ola Vigen Hattestad won his third World Cup cross-country sprint race in three starts and took the overall lead in the World Cup standings.

Russia won the women’s team sprint relay followed by Norway and Germany but had to settle for second in the men’s event, when Norway - inspired by Hattestad - claimed gold ahead of Sweden in a photo finish.

In the women's sprint, Slovenia's Petra Majdic secured her third win of the season. Russia’s Natalia Matwejewa was second and Norrway’s Maiken Falla claimed third.