LEAD: Cologna, Kowalczyk defend Tour de Ski titles

Jan 8, 2012, 14:46 GMT

Val di Fiemme, Italy - Dario Cologna and Justyna Kowalczyk defended their Tour de Ski titles Sunday with victories on the ninth and last stage of the cross country ski series.

Both now have three titles in the six-year history of the series, with Kowalcyzk making it three wins in a row.

Cologna of Switzerland, the 2009 and 2011 winner, extended his lead in the 9km pursuit with a solid race up the Alpe Cermis at Val di Fiemme, finishing one minute 2.3 seconds ahead of Marcus Hellner of Sweden who overtook Petter Northug of Norway.

Poland's Kowalczyk made it a third successive title when she extended her lead over Norway's Marit Bjoergen to 28.2 seconds with a strong finish on the final climb.

Bjoergen's team-mate Therese Johaug, runner-up last season, was third at 3:57.8.

Bjoergen (1,326 points) continues to lead the World Cup standings ahead of Justyna Kowalczyk (1,224) and Johaug (984).

In Oberstdorf, Germany, Mikko Kokslien of Norway won a nordic combined World Cup event ahead of compatriot Magnus Moan, with Bjoern Kircheisen of Germany third.

Kokslien surged to victory in the three-man sprint for the line at the end of the 10km cross country leg for a time of 26:06.5, 0.5 seconds ahead of Moan and 1.5 up on Kircheisen.

Jason Lamy Chappuis of France continues to lead the overall standings on 590 points, ahead of Akito Watabe of Japan on 411 and Tino Edelmann of Germany on 405.