"It's just amazing! I am so surprised that by taking second place on the day, I won the overall title,” said a happy and surprised Akito Watabe. “It's really nice to share the podium with Berni. I am only sad that we have to share the prize money now,” he joked.

On the way to the title, the two competitors offered fans and their fellow competitors an exciting fight. Both Watabe and Gruber claimed a first, second, third and fourth place each in the four individual competitions, giving them each 290 points overall. Local German hero Johannes Rydzek, who set another record by winning a home event in Oberstdorf for the fourth year in a row, was close behind the top two with 246 points, Jan Schmid from Norway followed in fourth place with 200 points.

Gruber, Watabe, Rydzek and Haavard Klemetsen were the four individual winners this summer. The opener, a Team Sprint in Oberwiesenthal, was won by Austria’s Bernhard Gruber and Christoph Bieler. 

Another exciting feature of this year's Summer Grand Prix was the test of Nordic Combined newest event, the Weekend Challenge. Competitors carried their results from the competitions in Villach and Oberstdorf on Friday and Saturday with them. 

Johannes Rydzek, who was the first to cross the finish line on Saturday, ultimately earned bragging rights as the first winner of the Weekend Challenge format. 

Race Director Lasse Ottesen was pleased with the summer tour: "With our events growing and thriving in Oberwiesenthal, Villach and Oberstdorf, the Summer Grand Prix is improving every year,” he said.

“In regard to the Weekend Challenge test, we can see where things are going and how the rules are working. It has been really exciting, but we also see that we need to fine tune the rules before the winter. It is sure to be the highlight of the World Cup season and a really big event in the upcoming years, showcasing our ultimate winter athletes."  

Source: the official FIS-site