Norway team up for gold

The Norwegian quartet -- Petter Tande, Havard Klemetsen, Magnus Moan and Kristian Hammer -- tallied a combined 511 points on the high hill. After the computer did its calculations, Norway carried a 19-second lead over defending champions Austria into the afternoon's 4 x 5km cross-country relay.

Solid on the hill, Team USA slotted in for third place, just 36 seconds adrift before the cross-country race, a double trip on a 2.5km course spiked with two lung-burning climbs.

Pre-race sentimental favourites Germany were flummoxed in the ski-jumping sequence, tallying a disappointing fifth position and starting the cross-country a dastardly 1 min 26 sec off the pace.

The German team stormed to a reversal of fortunes of the cross-country course, creeping back, metre by metre, on leaders Norway.

Third and fourth on Germany's ski team were Bjoern Kircheisen and Ronny Ackermann, silver and gold respectively in last Friday's individual race.

Third-legger Kircheisen put in a possessed turn on course, and by the time he handed off to anchorman Ackermann, Germany's deficit had been reduced to just 7.3 seconds.

Ackermann, unfortunately, couldn't confirm. The German individual race hero wasn't at his usual iron-lung best. Ackermann didn't lose time on Norwegian anchorman Kristian Hammer -- but he didn't gain any time either.

Sweeping onto the final straightaway, Hammer had enough of a gap to savour Norway's first team World Championship title since 2001. Conducting the cheering sidelines like a choir, a jubilant Hammer hit the finish and fell into the arms of his teammates.

Ackermann earned home country Germany the silver medal, just holding off Austria's Felix Gottwald at the line.

Finland's World Cup leader Hannu Manninen brought in fourth, 1 min 9 sec adrift.

Team USA, third and impressive after the morning's ski jump, faded to fifth on a deceptive anchor leg by Johnny Spillane. The American looked off his mark on the cross-country course, and could be put to the test when he attempts to defend his sprint title on Sunday.