Twinkling lights and team action in Lillehammer

The cosy town of Lillehammer is the traditional second stop of the Nordic Combined World Cup winter. Lit by twinkling lights and Christmas decorations, the atmosphere turns decidedly in direction of the holidays on this first Advent weekend but the competition action has lost nothing of its heat.

A first team event of the season is on schedule. The HS 98 normal hill usually keeps nations closely together after the jumping part.  Taking the Ruka results into account, it will not be easy to predict which nation will impose itself.

Next to the “big two”, Germany and Norway, smaller nations have set exclamation marks. Three Frenchmen entered the Top Ten of Sunday’s competition in Ruka, three Austrians in Friday’s event. Team Norway had three athletes in the Top Ten on Friday and Saturday. The dominating Germans seemingly had a false start into the winter but were also impeded by the changing wind conditions in Friday’s event and were back to the top level especially on Sunday with a double victory.

And also the Individual Gundersen event on the large hill on Sunday remains open: only eight points separate yellow bib bearer and Ruka Tour winner Akito Watabe, from his closest pursuer, Espen Andersen. Watabe was impeded by a painful bruise on his chest due to a training accident last weekend, some days of rest might have increased his performance level even more but for Andersen, Lillehammer is almost a home competition, having lived and trained there for some years.

Jumping sensation Jarl Magnus Riiber will join the fray after sitting out the season opener due to a cold. It remains to be seen what he can achieve after an extended recovery period from a shoulder injury over the summer.

Program (local times = CET)

Friday, 01.12.

09:00 Official training HS 98

10:00 Provisional Competition Round HS 98

11:30 Official training HS 140

14:30 Official training cross-country

Saturday, 02.12.

09:00 Trial Round HS 98

10:15 TEAM EVENT Competition Round HS 98

13:45 TEAM EVENT 4 x 5 km cross-country race

Sunday, 03.12.

07:45 Qualification HS 140

09:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 140

14:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

Timetable may be subject to change! Please check back here regularly before the competitions.

Quick Facts:

HILLS

Lysgårdsbakkene

HS 98

HS 140

TRACK

Birkebeineren Skistadion

2.5 km loop

Total climb: 105 metres

Maximum climb: 29 metres

Height Difference: 43 metres

LAST YEAR’S PODIUM

TE: 1. GER, 2. NOR, 3. AUT

IG I: 1. Eric Frenzel (GER), 2. Johannes Rydzek (GER), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)

IG II: 1. Eric Frenzel (GER), 2. Björn Kircheisen (GER), 3. Jørgen Graabak (NOR)