Schonach moves heaven and earth to hold Finals 2017

Aug 31, 2018·Nordic Combined

The final showdown between Johannes Rydzek and Eric Frenzel, which electrifies and draws in the masses, can be held on home soil. In a tremendous effort of willpower and work, the Organising Committee in Schonach has made it work to hold the World Cup Finals 2017 in spring temperatures.

The last rests of snow in the Black Forest region were collected and taken to the venue so that the jumping hill and a 1.5 kilometre track in Schonach’s Wittenbachtal could be prepared. The shortened course has the advantage of needing less snow but is also completely visible for the spectators around the track. The German team will be able to look forward to a lot of support from the home crowd - the ticket sales went well as never before and also large groups from Norway and Nordic Combined mecca Chaux-Neuve in France are scheduled to arrive.

Sport-wise, the initial situation could not be more dramatic: currently, only 14 points separate Eric Frenzel from Johannes Rydzek and the yellow bib has just changed back to four-time overall winner Frenzel in Trondheim. For both athletes, much is on the line: for Rydzek, it would be the first crystal globe, Frenzel could make himself immortal by winning the overall World Cup five times in a row - no athlete has ever achieved this in Nordic Combined.

Due to the snow situation, the format for the last day on Sunday was changed from 2 jumps and 15 km to a normal 1 jump, 10 km Individual Gundersen, a total of 200 World Cup points are still up for grabs on a final weekend which could not be more exciting.

On Sunday evening, the two athletes will also fight for the Nordic Combined Awards, which are awarded in Schonach’s Haus des Gastes: both are nominated as “Athlete of the Year” (together with teammate Kircheisen) and Frenzel’s spectacular TRIPLE win vies with Rydzek’s complete gold medal sweep at Lahti2017 for the moment of the season. In addition, Espen Andersen, Vinzenz Geiger, Eero Hirvonen and Paul Gerstgraser are fighting for the title of “Rookie of the Year” and Hannu Manninen will be recognised for his comeback this season.

The stage is set, the situation promising chills and thrills and we’re quite certain not everybody’s fingernails will survive this nail biter of a weekend. Eric and Johannes, bring it on!

The program

Changes in italics.

Friday, 17.03.

10:00 Official training cross-country

14:00 Official training HS 106

16:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification

Saturday, 18.03.

09:00 Trial Round HS 106

10:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 106

13:45 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

19:00 Prize Giving Ceremony, Haus des Gastes

Sunday, 19.03.