THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

KUUSAMO, Finland - World Cup champion Ronny Ackermann of Germany won the opener of the Nordic combined season Saturday. He was followed by Janne Ryynanen and Anssi Koivuranta, both of Finland.

Enlarge Photo

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / LEHTIKUVA / Matti Björkman

Germany's Ronny Ackermann wins the FIS World Cup Nordic Combined competition in the FIS World Cup Cross Country ski event at the Ruka Nordic Opening event in Kuusamo, Finland, on Saturday, Nov.29, 2008.

Nordic combined features a new format this season. A one-jump ski jump is followed by a 10-kilometre freestyle cross-country ski race.

In earlier years, there were two jumps and a 15-kilometre race, and a sprint version with one jump and a 7.5-kilometre race.

This was the first top-three finish for the 20-year-old Ryynanen. Pavel Churavy of the Czech Republic was fourth and Eric Frenzel of Germany was fifth.

Ackerman set out in fourth place in the 10-kilometre freestyle cross-country race behind Ryynanen, who won the jump with a leap of 141.5 metres.

Ackermann jumped 135 metres and started 43 seconds behind Ryynanen. The German passed second-place Anssi Koivuranta after four kilometres and later Ryynanen. With 1.5 kilometres to go, Ackermann built a decisive margin to beat the Finns by 9.8 and 26 seconds.