The final highlight: Schwarzwaldpokal and Season Finals in Schonach
Mar 14, 2019·Nordic Combined
The last World Cup weekend 2018/19 is here and in its traditional manner, the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup returned to Schonach, one of its longest-standing venues to conclude the season in style. It is the fourth consecutive time that Schonach has hosted the season finals.
The Schwarzwaldpokal with its impressive trophy, steeped in the history of the discipline, is up for grabs on Saturday and a two jump, 15 km Final Individual Gundersen event with the Top 30 athletes of the World Cup will conclude the season on a high note on Sunday, before the Nordic Combined Awards are given out in a ceremony marking the final evening of the season.
The weather situation had a little bit of everything in the past weeks and days. Spring temperatures in earlier weeks changed to a March snowfalls at the end of last week and the higher regions in the Black Forest are covered with snow again. Now, right before the event, rain and storm are back and brought additional challenges for the organisers as the additional structures built up for the World Cup had to be protected from the wind. In spite of the stormy start to the weekend, the final preparations have been concluded and Schonach is ready to get underway.
“We had a lot of snow and perfect conditions at the beginning of the week”, Head of the OC, Gunter Schuster looked back. “We just had to get through the storm on Thursday and after that, it should be fine for the weekend.”
Final weekend facts:
Only who wins the Schwarzwaldpokal three times in a row or five times in the course of his career may keep the big trophy, otherwise it returns to Schonach for its next winner in the following year. Since its inception in 1967, no athlete has ever managed to keep the trophy for good.
World Cup points: 200 World Cup points will be given out in the last two events (no double points for the finals)
Overall Standings: With currently 1358 points, Jarl Magnus Riiber has already taken the crystal globe 2019 but can still beat Hannu Manninen’s record of most victories in one season. Manninen’s record is at 12, Riiber has won eleven times so far this winter.
Behind Riiber, Akito Watabe (819 p.), Franz-Josef Rehrl (787 p.) are currently occupying ranks two and three. Johannes Rydzek, who returns after a viral infection kept him sidelined last weekend and Vinzenz Geiger both also still have chances to go for the overall podium (761 and 753 points).
Prize Money: "normal" Prize Money is paid on each of the two competition days
Overall Prize Money: A total pool of 48.000 CHF (2.000 CHF per WC event) are divided between the overall Top 6 athletes and the winners of the Best Jumper and Best Skier Trophies.
The overall winner receives 13.490 CHF, the winners of the Best Jumper and Best Skier Trophies 6.250 CHF each
The Nordic Combined Awards are given out in Schonach’s Haus des Gastes on Sunday evening.
The categories are: Athlete of the Year (m/f), Rookie of the Year, Coach(es) of the Year, Moment of the Year. In addition, a FIS Fairplay Award and a consolation prize for the “Unluckiest Athlete of the Year” will be handed out.
The categories are: Athlete of the Year (m/f), Rookie of the Year, Coach(es) of the Year, Moment of the Year. In addition, a FIS Fairplay Award and a consolation prize for the “Unluckiest Athlete of the Year” will be handed out.
10 international journalists from nine countries have one vote per category, a public vote in which over 1000 people participated, counts as one additional vote per category.
The Programme
Friday, 15th of March
10:00 Official Cross-country training
14:00 SJ HS 106 Official Training
16:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification HS106
Saturday, 16th of March
10:00 Trial Round HS 106
11:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 106
15:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race
Sunday, 17th of March
10:00 Trial Round HS 106
11:00 FINAL INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 2 Comp. Rounds HS 106
15:00 FINAL INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 15 km cross-country race
19:00 Nordic Combined Awards & Final Party, Haus des Gastes
Quick Facts:
Langenwaldschanze
HS 106
TRACK
Wittenbachtal
2,5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 100 metres
Maximum climb: 33 metres
Height Difference: 34 metres
2017/18 PODIUM
IG I: 1. Akito Watabe (JPN), 2. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), 3. Bernhard Gruber (AUT)
IG II: 1. Akito Watabe (JPN), 2. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)
)
