Zakopane NC: Kirchelsen wins worlds tuneup

Germany's Bjoern Kircheisen led the jumping and went on to win a nordic combined World Cup sprint event Sunday. No Americans competed in the final weekend of World Cup action before the World Championships.

ZAKOPANE, Poland — Germany's Bjoern Kircheisen led the jumping and went on to win a nordic combined World Cup sprint event Sunday. No Americans competed in the final weekend of World Cup action before the World Championships.
    Earlier, in the conclusion of a rare World Cup doubleheader involving the end of an event that started Saturday, World Cup leader and defending three-time champion Hannu Manninen of Finland led the 10-kilometer race and held on to win a mass-start combined event — the 45th win of his career — with teammate Jaakko Tallus second. The jumping Saturday was postponed until Sunday morning because of winds and heavy snowfall.
    In the second event Sunday, Kircheisen led the lone round of jumping, starting 59 seconds ahead of Manninen, who was 21st in jumping. The German won by 15.7 seconds with Manninen second and Norway's Magnus Moan third.
    U.S. combined skiers are training in Utah before heading to the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Feb. 22-March 4 in Sapporo, Japan.

World Cup nordic combined results
Results Sunday from a World Cup nordic combined event (ski jump and 7.5-kilometer cross-country sprint in parentheses):

1. Bjoern Kircheisen, Germany, 20 minutes, 14.3 seconds (1-9).
2. Hannu Manninen, Finland, 20:30.0 (21-1).
3. Magnus-H. Moan, Norway, 20:37.8 (19-2).
4. Mario Stecher, Austria, 20:39.7 (15-3).
5. Jason Lamy-Chappuis, France, 20:40.9 (8-10).
6. Anssi Koivuranta, Finland, 20:41.3 (4-13).
7. David Kreiner, Austria, 20:45.5 (7-17).
8. Petter Tande, Norway, 20:54.0 (4-22).
9. Christoph Bieler, Austria, 20:45.5 (9-21).
10. Ronny Ackermann, Germany, 20:56.7 (17-6).
11. Tino Edelmann, Germany, 20:58.5 (14-19).
12. Espen Rian, Norway, 21:02.2 (3-28).
13. Michael Gruber, Austria, 21:07.8 (9-24).
14. Matthias Menz, Germany, 21:11.7 (11-26).
15. Felix Gottwald, Austria, 21:18.1 (23-7).
16. Ronny Heer, Switzerland, 21:28.2 (22-16).
17. Sebastian Haseney, Germany, 21:28.5 (26-8).
18. Janne Ryynaenen, Finland, 21:40.8 (13-32).
19. Mathieu Martinez, France, 21:42.8 (32-5).
20. Alfred Rainer, Austria, 21:43.5 (20-27).
Also
43. Max Thompson, Canada, 22:35.7 (45-39).

World Cup standings
(After 11 events)
1. Hannu Manninen, Finland, 685.
2. Magnus-H. Moan, Norway, 598.
3. Christoph Bieler, Austria, 557.
4. Jason Lamy-Chappuis, France, 522.
5. Felix Gottwald, Austria, 447.
6. Anssi Koivuranta, Finland, 410.
7. Sebastian Haseney, Germany, 362.
8. Ronny Ackermann, Germany, 351.
9. Bjoern Kircheisen, Germany, 348.
10. Petter L. Tande, Norway, 337.
Also
14. Bill Demong, United States, 219.
41. Johnny Spillane, United States, 44.
47. Brett Camerota, United States, 30.