Oberhof NC: Manninen wins, Spillane returns, Lodwick savors baby

Oberhof NC: Manninen wins, Spillane returns, Lodwick savors baby{mosimage}OBERHOF, Germany – American Johnny Spillane saw his first World Cup action Friday and finished 22nd in a nordic combined individual event as the schedule resumed with the start of the German Grand Prix. World Cup leader Hannu Manninen stormed to his fourth win of the season.

Manninen, again producing the fastest 15-kilometer race, outskied Germany’s Ronny Ackermann by 7.2 seconds at the end of the 15 km race with Norway’s Magnus Moan in third place.

Spillane had been sidelined with a separated right shoulder, which he suffered in training before the first competition last month in Kuusamo, Finland. He rehabbed the injury and rejoined the World Cup with this event; he jumped to 23rd place on the 140-meter large hill and had the 13th-fastest 15 km time to finish 2:51.2 behind Manninen. American Bill Demong, 35th in jumping, had the seventh-fastest race, and moved up to 23rd, 2:56.4 out.

The German Grand Prix, the annual series within the World Cup series, continues Tuesday with a sprint event in Ruhpolding before concluding Jan. 6 in Schonach with the traditional 15 km individual.

Nordic combined World Cup results
1. Hannu Manninen, Finland, 37 minutes, 59.7 seconds.
2. Ronny Ackermann, Germany, 7.2 seconds behind.
3. Magnus Moan, Norway, 1:14.8.
4. Jaakko Tallus, Finland, 1:15.9.
5. Daito Takahashi, Japan, 1:16.9.
6. Christoph Bieler, Austria, 1:24.3
7. Mario Stecher, Austria, 1:56.7.
8. Bjoern Kircheisen, Germany, 2:00.1.
9. Kristian Hammer, Norway, 2:02.0.
10. Matthias Menz, Germany, 2:03.1.
11. Wilhelm Denifl, Austria, 2:03.6.
12. Jason Lamy Chappuis, France, 2:05.5.
13. David Kreiner, Austria, 2:11.8
14. Petter Tande, Norway, 2:12.2.
15. Anssi Koivuranta, Finland, 2:12.5.
Americans
22. Johnny Spillane, Steamboat Springs, Colo., (23/13) 2:51.2
23. Bill Demong, Vermontville, N.Y., (35/7) 2:56.4

World Cup standings
(After 7 of 21 events)
1. Hannu Manninen, Finland, 519 points.
2. Magnus Moan, Norway, 350.
3. Ronny Ackermann, Germany, 337.
4. Petter Tande, Norway, 327.
5. Mario Stecher, Austria, 258.
6. Georg Hettich, Germany, 232.
7. Todd Lodwick, United States, 223.
8. Felix Gottwald, Austria, 211.
9. Jason Lamy Chappuis, France, 210.
10. Christoph Bieler, Austria, 207.

Lodwick, wife celebrate baby girl
 
Three-time nordic combined Olympian Todd Lodwick gained a new fan and a new role (fatherhood) Thursday night as his wife, Sunny, delivered a seven-pound baby girl. The child, their first, has been named Charley Jordan Lodwick.

‘Charley is for Sunny’s grandmother. Momma is plenty tired but everyone’s doing fine. They look beautiful’ said Lodwick, a six-time World Cup winner who also has said he expects to retire after competing in his fourth Olympics in Torino, Italy.

The baby was born at Yampa Valley Medical Center. She and her mother, a dentist in town and a former University of Wyoming alpine ski racer, are expected to go home in a few days, Lodwick said.

– Courtesy USSA News Bureau