Germany's Loch wins luge world title

ALTENBERG, Germany (AP) -- Olympic champion Felix Loch of Germany won the luge title for the third time at the world championships on Saturday.

Loch's previous world titles were in 2008 and 2009.

The 22-year-old Loch was fastest in both runs for a combined time of 1 minute, 47.332 seconds, 0.328 seconds ahead of the 40-year-old Albert Demchenko of Russia.

Defending champion Armin Zoeggeler of Italy claimed bronze.

The women's and team relay events will be held Sunday.

Fourcade, Neuner win biathlon sprints

KONTIOLAHTI, Finland (AP) -- Martin Fourcade of France edged Timofey Lapshin of Russia to win a 10-kilometer World Cup sprint on Saturday.

With one penalty, Fourcade finished in 24 minutes, 58.2 seconds, just nine-tenths of a second ahead of Timofey Lapshin, who shot clean in the cold.

Switzerland's Benjamin Weger was third, 1.6 seconds back.

Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the women's 7.5-kilometer sprint in 23 minutes, 7.4 seconds, ahead of Makarainen of Finland and Darya Domracheva of Belarus.

Olsson, Bjoergen win World Cup cross-country races

NOVE MESTO, Czech Republic (AP) -- Johan Olsson of Sweden and Marit Bjoergen of Norway won classical style mass start World Cup events on Saturday.

Olsson shook off overall World Cup leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland before the final stretch to complete the 30-kilometer race in 1 hour, 13 minutes, 42 seconds for his second victory of the season.

Cologna finished 1.5 second behind and Maxim Vylegzhanin of Russia took the third place. Cologna leads the overall standings with 1,571 points.

Bjoergen won the 15-kilometer race to regain the overall World Cup lead.

Bjoergen pulled away from Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland shortly before the finish line to complete the classical style race in 39 minutes, 20.3 seconds.

Kowalczyk, who was leading the overall standings by two points before the race was 4.0 seconds back and another Norwegian, Therese Johaug, was 14.3 seconds behind in third.

Bjoergen leads the overall standings with 1,804 points. Kowalczyk is second with 1,792 and Johaug third on 1,320.

Norway upsets Austria in team ski jump

WILLINGEN, Germany (AP) -- Norway upset Austria in a World Cup ski jumping team event on Saturday.

The team of Anders Fannemel, Rune Velta, Vegard Sklett and Anders Bardal secured the victory with 999.2 points.

Austria's experienced team of Martin Koch, Andreas Kofler, Thomas Morgenstern and Gregor Schlierenzauer finished 22.9 points behind in second.

Germany was third.

Canada grabs skicross gold at U.S. Grand Prix

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- The Canadians made a last-minute decision to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix and it paid off as Chris Del Bosco and Marielle Thompson swept gold in skicross on Saturday, and teammate Brady Leman grabbed silver.

American Langley McNeal finished second in the women's race at Park City's Canyons Resort, gaining redemption after being disqualified for a clothing violation last month at the Winter X Games.

Armin Niederer of Switzerland took third place for the men and fellow Swiss racer Katrin Mueller won her third consecutive bronze.

At a World Cup race this week in Ontario, Leman edged X Games champion Del Bosco for gold. On Saturday, the results were flipped as Del Bosco showed his speed in the middle section.

Top American hopeful John Teller crashed in the semis.

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