Spillane of US wins Nordic combined World Cup event at Oberhof, now 4th in overall standings
By APSunday, January 3, 2010
American Spillane wins Nordic combined event
OBERHOF, Germany — Johnny Spillane of the United States has earned his second Nordic combined World Cup victory by beating Felix Gottwald of Austria.
Spillane, the 2003 sprint world champion, finished second in the ski jumping portion and began the 10-kilometer cross-country race with a 2-second handicap, but won the event Sunday in 28 minutes, 13.3 seconds. Gottwald was 30.8 seconds behind and Bjoern Kircheisen of Germany was third, 39.1 seconds back.
Spillane, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., moved up to fourth in the overall World Cup standings. He was ninth after finishing fourth in Saturday’s competition on the same course. Gottwald was second on both days.
Hannu Manninen of Finland, Saturday’s winner, was 17th Sunday.
