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, 29, soared 133.5 metres for 141.3 points get the gold. Former champion 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 dominant Austrians, by contrast, came up empty-handed and were not amused when officials tried in vain twice to stage the final round and eventually only the first round counted.

The first attempt was abandoned after 23 of 30 finalists as heavy snowfall set in during the round, leading to unfair conditions. The round was restarted but the jury ended the competition for good after 16 jumpers as the conditions deteriorated even more.

"I can't say I am surprised. I feel strange," said Kuettel, whose previous claims to fame were five World Cup wins.

"It was a bit difficult to win when you are in the cabin (waiting to jump) and not with the excitement are jumping."

"I knew my jump was worth something. I had to calm down and prepared in the normal way for the second jump. I was ready until the cancellation came."

Schmitt was over the moon with silver in the dusk of his career highlighted by large hill and team gold at the 1999 and 2001 worlds and team gold at the 2002 Olympics.

"It is a dream to make the podium again at the worlds. I don't care about the colour of the medal," he said.

The Austrian camp had hoped for more silverware, but World Cup leader Gregor Schlierenzauer was stranded in fourth place and normal hill world champion Wolfgang Loitzl finished sixth.

Coach Alexander Pointner was unhappy with the jury ruling, naming it "disappointing" as the outcome was the first competition in 2009 with no Austrian on the podium and only the second with another nation in first place.

Austria had won 12 of the 13 previous events in the World Cup and at the worlds and made a total 22 podium places in those events which include one team competition.

But Jacobsen insisted: "It is good to see Switzerland and Germany and not only Austria on the podium."

Austrian's Martin Koch said the in-run was getting extremely sticky when he had a second jump.

Loitzl was diplomatic: "It is a pity that the competition wasn't completed. There are always competitions held in one round. It's a shame it happened at the worlds."

For Kuettel, the outcome was not only fine because he won but also because all jumpers had more or less the same conditions in the first round.

"I was glad to jump in fair conditions and to have the victory in the same conditions as the others," he said. "The first round was fair so I think it is ok." (dpa)