German Georg Hettich won the ski jumping competition of the NH Individual Gundersen with 262.5 points and is first out of the gates for this afternoon’s (Day 1) cross country ski race.

Hettich’s second-round leap of 104.0 metres - the highest of the round - put him ahead of first round leader Petter L. Tande of Norway, who finished 2nd.

Hettich and Tande both jumped a total of 205.5 metres for their two jumps; however Hettich earned 0.5 style points more than Tande. He will start two seconds ahead of the 20-year-old Tande in the cross country ski race.

Frenchman Jason Lamy Chappuis, 2nd after the first round with a jump of 102.5 metres, jumped 100.5 metres in the second round and is in equal 3rd place with Jaakko Tallus of Finland heading into the cross country.

Hettich will start 22 seconds ahead of Chappuis and Tallus. NH Individual Gundersen favourite and three-time World Cup champion Hannu Manninenn of Finland, jumped 96.5 metres and 98.5 metres to finish 8th.

He is one minute, 38 seconds behind Hettich in his favoured cross country leg and is still a contender to win gold.

An out-of-sorts Ronny Ackerman of Germany, the 2005 world champion in this event, finished a disappointing 26th in the ski jumping and despite his cross country strength, is unlikely to make up the three minute, 16 second gap he needs to pass Hettich.

The 15-kilometre cross country compeition is underway at Pragelato Plan.

Tom Read/AOC
Torino