Norway secure final team win of the season after dramatic finish in Germany

Both men were keen to take the middle lane as the finish line approached and it was Riessle who lost out as he crashed, allowing Graabak to cross 7.9 seconds ahead in Schonach, Germany.

Austria secured third place after Phillip Orter finished 22.2 seconds behind the leader.

The jumping competition saw rivals Akito Watabe and Eric Frenzel both set new hill records, with 106.5m and 107m respectively, as the German team of Manuel Faisst, Johannes Rydzek, Riessle and Frenzel recorded 473.9 points and a 24-second lead over Norway’s quartet of Magnus Krog, Magnus Moan, Graabak and Jan Schmid.

Austria’s team of Bernhard Gruber, Bernhard Flaschberger, Orter and Lukas Klapfer had to start the race 46 seconds off the leader after a total of 439.6.

The snow started to fall heavier as the race entered the second phase and after Moan made up 25 seconds on Faisst, there was little between the frontrunners.

And it stayed that way until just before the finishing straight when Riessle lost balance and fell, leaving Norway to claim victory.

Japan were fourth, finishing one minute and ten seconds off third-placed Austria, while France fought their way up to fifth and Italy were sixth.