Liberec, Czech Republic - Petter Northug anchored Norway to a familiar cross-country relay title while Andreas Kuettel was a surprise ski-jumping winner in a snow-marred event at the Nordic skiing world championships on Friday.

Northug used his deadly kick again, against German Axel Teichmann, to give Norway its fifth straight relay title, with Finland third.

Kuettel then celebrated his biggest career success when he beat German Martin Schmitt and Anders Jacobsen of Norway in a large hill competition held in just one round as snowfall twice denied a full second round.

Liberec, Czech Republic  - Andreas Kuettel of Switzerland became surprise large hill ski-jumping world champion on Friday as Austria met disaster in a snow-marred competition held in one round.

Kuettel, 30, soared 133.5 metres for 141.3 points get the gold. Martin Schmitt of Germany came second with 133m for 140.9 points and Anders Jacobsen was third for Norway with 132.5m for 139.5 points.

The results came from the first round as officials tried in vain twice to stage the final round.

Liberec, Czech Republic  - Petter Northug used his deadly kick again, against German Axel Teichmann, to give Norway its fifth straight men's relay cross-country skiing world title on Friday.

The pursuit champion Northug made his trademark staccato steps in the final turn before the home stretch to win the 4x10-kilometres race with Eldar Roenning, Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset and Tore Ruud Hofstad in 1 hour 41 minutes 50.6 seconds.

Liberec, Czech Republic - Petter Northug used his deadly kick again, against German Axel Teichmann, to give Norway its fifth straight men's relay cross-country skiing world title on Friday.

The pursuit champion Northug made his trademark staccato steps in the final turn before the home stretch to win the 4x10-kilometres race with Eldar Roenning, Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset and Tore Ruud Hofstad in 1 hour 41 minutes 50.6 seconds.

Liberec, Czech Republic  - Aino-Kaisa Saarinen won her third gold medal at the 2009 Nordic world champions on Thursday when she anchored Finland to back-to-back women's cross-country relay titles.

Saarinen made up an 8.2-second deficit on Norway at the final exchange to ensure victory in the 4x5-kilometres race in 54 minutes 24.3 seconds with Pirjo Muranen, Virpi Kuitunen and Riitta-Liisa Roponen.

Liberec, Czech Republic  - Norihito Kobayashi won a photo finish against Germany's Tino Edelmann to give Japan a surprise world title in the Nordic combined team event on Thursday.

Kobayashi led the mass start silver medallist Edelmann and strong Norwegian skier Magnus Moan into the home stretch and then just hung on to win the 4x5-kilometres cross country relay for the title.

Kobayashi, Yusuke Minato, Taihei Kato and Akito Watabe clocked 48 minutes 32.3 seconds for their first title since a 1993 and 1995 double. Japan also won Olympic gold