Despite protest & fall

Nordic mixed combined – LIVE from 12 noon

Stefan Rettenegger, Claudia Purker, Lisa Hirner and Johannes Lamparter

(Bild: GEPA)

Happy ending after an hour: after a long period of trepidation, the mixed combined team won bronze, Austria's first medal at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. However, the result only became official after an hour because Japan lodged a protest due to obstruction .

The quartet of Stefan Rettenegger, Claudia Purker, Lisa Hirner and Johannes Lamparter were able to celebrate their bronze medal on Friday after a one-hour delay. A hard maneuver by Lamparter in the final sprint against Ryota Yamamoto led to a protest by Japan due to obstruction.

(Bild: AFP/JONATHAN NACKSTRAND)

Gold went to the favored Norwegians ahead of Germany. The ÖSV team had finished fourth after the jumping, in the cross-country Lamparter ultimately came out on top in the final sprint, 0.2 seconds ahead of Yamamoto. The Japanese protested because of a late change of direction by Lamparter and long discussions followed. ÖSV sports director Mario Stecher, head coach Christoph Bieler and also Lamparter and Yamamoto had to speak to the jury and argue the action.

The result was only official more than an hour after the end of the race, which is why the award ceremony at the Granåsen Skisenter took place in front of an empty crowd. The obligatory press conference after the medal decision was also canceled. In any case, the ÖSV quartet was delighted, even if some doubts had dampened their joy at their success on the track. "It was a strange feeling right at the finish," said Bieler.

Lamparter had a plan
Lamparter had planned his late change of direction in the finish sprint shortly beforehand. "I wanted the decision beforehand, then there was a plan B. It's a Formula 1 rule: whoever is in front gets to choose the lane. I know that he (Yamamoto, ed.) is one of the fastest on the home straight. That's why I came up with a different plan and it worked out," explained the Tyrolean after winning his seventh World Championship medal. Nobody would have expected that after the jumping, "that's why I'm very happy".

Rettenegger spoke of a racing accident. "In Formula 1 they say racing incident. Sure, there was a bit of elbowing involved, but a bit of elbowing is allowed in sport," said the man from Salzburg, who was delighted to win mixed bronze together with Lamparter and Hirner, just like two years ago in Planica. "It's really mega cool, even if it took quite a long time." For Hirner, it was "incredibly nerve-wracking". "Happy ending, that fits well," she said and laughed.

(Bild: GEPA)

Rettenegger started the race 17 seconds behind third-placed Germany, while Japan had a lead of 31 seconds. While the man from Salzburg almost closed the gap to the medal ranks over the five kilometers, Purker also added time due to a fall immediately before the transition and Hirner on the respective 2.5 km laps. However, the Japanese mass start world champion Yuna Kasai also crashed. Lamparter had to make up almost 27 seconds and managed to do so. However, Yamamoto did not let herself be left behind in the final, which is why it came to a decision in the final sprint - with the better end for red-white-red.

Meanwhile, Norwegian combined legend Jarl Magnus Riiber celebrated his ninth World Championship gold medal without any thrills. As a reward, the victorious quartet also received a brief audience with Queen Sonja in the VIP stands after the race.