Kranjec wins gold

Strong gales wreaked havoc on the first two days in Austria with athletes severely restricted in taking to the hill – however that was finally broken on Sunday with Kranjec taking full advantage.

With Saturday’s ski flying competition, the first of two in Bad Mitterndorf cancelled, a shorter one-round version was slotted in a day later with Kranjec winning gold with a best total of 212.5points.

He edged out Austrian three-times Olympic champion Thomas Morgenstern, who recorded 206.8, to take the win while Norwegian Anders Bardal completed the podium with 201.6.

Japan’s Daiki Ito comfortably produced the biggest leap, 212.0m, but with restrictions taking effect he had to make do with an agonising fourth.

Newly crowned Four Hills champion Gregor Schlierenzauer was seventh as the gate got lower and lower as the competition grew old.

And overall World Cup leader Andreas Kofler, Schlierenzauer’s Austrian team-mate, was seven places further back in 14th with the second competition in Bad Mitterndorf to follow.