Norway wins World Cup ski flying team event in Slovenia

BELGRADE, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Norway won Saturday's World Cup ski flying team event on the giant hill in the Slovenian town of Planica.

Norway secured the title with 1,715.1 points from two jumps each, finishing far ahead of Finland (1,615.1) and the Austria (1,482.1), the Slovenian news agency STA reported, adding that Slovenia, who was third after the first round, placed fourth.

All four members of the Norwegian team - Tom Hilde, Anders Jakobsen, Anders Bardal and Bjoern Einar Romoeren - jumped over 210 meters. Bardal made it farthest at 232.5 meters, although he touched the ground.

Slovenians made very good jumps in the first round, but Jernej Damjan's last jump was short at 181.5 meters, which cost Slovenia a podium result.

Some 25,000 spectators gathered at the foot of the hill in a sunny weather to see some of the world's best flying.

Austria's Gregor Schlierenzauer flew furthest, touching down at 233.5 meters in the first round of jumps. However, his team placed sixth in the first jump because of Martin Koch's mere 105.5-meter jump.

The World Cup season is wrapped up on Sunday with a second individual event in Planica, Schlierenzauer winning the first on Friday. Fellow-Austrian Thomas Morgenstern is long assured of the title.