North.

Combination Olympic champion Fabian Rießle has once again stormed onto the podium at the World Cup final in his native Black Forest. The 27-year-old finished third in the success of overall World Cup winner Akito Watabe in the last race of the season at Schonach and clinched his sixth top-10 position in the last seven competitions.

“It was a very lonely and exhausting race. I tried everything, but Akito was no match for me today,” said Rießle, who also finished third in the overall World Cup as the best DSV combiner, on ZDF. The day before, Rießle, the strongest German, did not exceed seventh place. In the national ranking, Germany remained second behind Norway.

Rießle, who had entered the track about one minute behind, ran to the front with the exception of twelve seconds, but then lost his strength on the final lap. At the finish he was 48.1 seconds behind Watabe.

The Japanese, who had already won the Black Forest Cup in Schonach on Saturday, won 5.1 seconds ahead of Norwegian Jarl Magnus Riiber and celebrated his seventh victory of the season. At the Olympics, however, the 29-year-old only won a silver medal.

In spring-like temperatures the three-time Olympic champion Eric Frenzel only came 13th after another weak jump, behind Manuel Faißt (15th) record world champion Johannes Rydzek had to make do with 17th place. Björn Kircheisen finished 22nd in the last competition of his career.