Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs' Todd Lodwick kept his hot streak alive by winning an individual Gundersen event in Schonach, Germany.

The win was Lodwick's third-straight podium and the sixth World Cup victory of his career.

The win also gave Lodwick, who finished third Dec. 30 in Overhof and third again Jan. 2 in Reit imWinkl, the overall title in the three-event German Grand Prix.

Lodwick's win Sunday wasn't easy. He won a sprint to the finish line to beat current World Cup leader Ronny Ackermann, who finished seven-tenths of a second back, and Finland's Hannu Manninen, who was .9 back in third place.

"I love Schonach ...even more now," Lodwick said. "I love coming here -- they have such a great Nordic tradition, and this just makes it even better."

Lodwick's jump put him in fourth place in the two jump, 15-kilometer event. He was a half-minute behind Japan's Daito Takahashi of Japan at the start of the cross country race.

"I wanted to go out hard, not let Hannu or anyone catch me early to help their confidence," Lodwick said. "I wanted them to work to catch me. I kept the pressure on."

He skied with Ackermann and Manninen and the two top jumpers, Takahashi and Ludovic Roux of France, for the final two laps of the race before leading the charge to the finish line.

Todd's mom Jeanne talked to her son by phone after the win in Schonach, He said the only downside to the event was that he couldn't share it with his wife and family.

"We watched the event unfold live on the FIS Web site," Jeanne said. "I told him I was wearing my big white coat in the kitchen and ringing the cow bell."

Lodwick has climbed to sixth place in the overall World Cup standings after placing in the top 10 of the last five events.

He currently has 321 total points and trails Austria's Felix Gottwald by just 31 points in the race for fifth.

Ackermann still holds a commanding lead with 662 points and Manninen is in second with 510.

The World Cup Tour's next stop is this weekend in Seefeld, Austria. The skiers will take part in events Saturday and Sunday.

American Carl van Loan also earned World Cup points by placing 22nd in Sunday's event in Schonach.

--To reach John F. Russell call 871-4209

or e-mail jrussell@steamboatpilot.com