"After a training camp during the competition break it's going great for Akito", Japanese head coach Takanori Kohno said, without telling too much about the secret of success. Right now there is no athlete who is doing as well as the 23-year-old Watabe in both disciplines. "My jump was very good under difficult conditions", Watabe said after the jumping. that took place und changing conditions.

Watabe, Bernhard Gruber and Norwegian Haavard Klementsen showed the longest jump in a spectacular ski jumping competition with 144 m. But because of the wind and gate compensation Watabe was a few seconds ahead and that was enough for him to defend this lead in the race and celebrate the win. It was more difficult for local hero Tino Edelmann. After his fall in training, jumping coach Ronny Ackermann didn't let him jump inspite the green light. "The was a strong gust of side wind when the light changed. That's why I didn't let Tino jump. I think this was a reasonable decision", said Ackermann. Edelmann was disqualified.

Behind the dominator, Gruber, Klementsen and Wilhelm Denifl formed a group in the race and they were soon not focusing on Watabe anymore, but on the athletes behind them. Jason Lamy Chappuis got closer soon. The French already closed the gap after half of the race. "It felt like a time trial because I started along, maybe I overpaced a bit and so I had to gain some strength again behind the Austrians first", Lamy Chappuis said. Germany's Eric Frenzel and Fabian Riessle were already over a minute behind and they had no chance to fight for the podium, also because their skis were not good.

Also Haavard Klementsen had to realize that soon. The Norwegian could not keep up with the group on the final lap and was fifth ahead of his teammates Mikko Kokslien and Jan Schmid. When Akito Watabe had already crossed the finish line in front of 3200 spectators, Lamy Chappuis and Gruber were fighting for the second place in a final sprint. Once again Lamy Chappuis won the spring, Wilhelm Denifl finished fourth. "I'm very satisfied with the podium result. But I have to work on my sprinting skills", told Gruber.

The competition is now getting closer for Lamy Chappuis in the overall ranking. If Akito Watabe continues to show such great performances, the French would have to worry whether he will be able to defend his title for the second time. 150 points are still a good lead, but there are still seven competitions left until the final in Oslo (NOR) and Watabe can continue to score many points. Bernhard Gruber is third and says that "I would bet 50:50 on both."

Tags:  watabe lamy chappuis gruber denifl kokslien klemetsen riessle frenzel edelmann ackermann

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