Nordic combined champ Watabe ends season with another win

Published Mar. 25, 2018 11:41 a.m. ET

SCHONACH, Germany (AP) Overall winner Akito Watabe completed the season with his second consecutive World Cup win in Sunday's Nordic combined finale.

The Japanese athlete, who won Saturday's competition in the Black Forest resort of Schonach, was second behind Jarl Magnus Riiber in the ski jump but finished ahead of the Norwegian in the cross-country race. Watabe, who started with a 9-second delay, completed the 10-kilometer course in 34 minutes, 39.1 seconds, beating Riiber by 5.1 seconds overall.

Riiber, who also won Saturday's ski jump, was runner-up for the second day in a row.

Germany's Fabian Riessle was third, 48.1 back after coming fourth in the ski jump.

Watabe, who finished with eight World Cup wins this season, ended on 1,495 points as he claimed his first crystal globe.

Norway's Jan Schmid finished second on 1,133, ahead of Riessle on 1,087, Germany's Johannes Rydzek on 849 and Norway's Joergen Graabak on 830.