Koivuranta wins but Lodwick's comeback is the story

Posted: Sunday 28th December 2008 | 21:46

FINLAND'S Anssi Koivuranta notched his third World Cup win of the season to extend his lead at the top of the Nordic combined standings.

Koivuranta took second place in the ski jumping session with a leap of 125.5 metres and finished the 10-kilometre cross-country race in 27 minutes, 22.2 seconds.

But the big story was the performance of American Todd Lodwick, in his comeback from retirement.

Lodwick sat out the 2007 season and only returned to the World Cup circuit this weekend - and he's been rewarded with two second place finishes in as many days.

He has been competing on the Continental Cup tour since coming out of retirement this month aged 32.

"The reason I came back was it was something that I wanted to do," said the four-time Olympian, who hopes to compete at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and go at least one better than his relay fourth place in Salt Lake City.

"I told the team that I wanted to earn my spot back and show them that I'm still capable of skiing. That was a drive and motivation for me throughout the summer.

"However, to have banked two podiums on my first events back is a fairytale come true for me."