Lausanne 2020 starts with big premiere for Nordic Combined

With two Individual Gundersen events on Saturday, 18th of January, the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 will open in Les Tuffes (FRA) for Nordic Combined. The HS 90 jumping hill and the Stade Jason Lamy Chappuis close to Prémanon will host the first Nordic Combined competitions and a true premiere: the first-ever Olympic event for Nordic Combined women.

After the FIS Youth Cup for women started in summer 2014 and the first Continental Cup was hosted in the 2017/18 season, first title events for Nordic Combined women took place last winter at the FIS Junior World Championships in Lahti (FIN).

30 male starters from 16 nations  and 23 female athletes from 13 nations are set to get underway with their Olympic competitions this weekend: one jump and a 4 km race are on schedule for the women and one jump and a 6 km race for the men.

The athletes will be supported on location by Athlete Role Models Tara Geraghty-Moats (USA) and Jason Lamy Chappuis (FRA) during the week-long Youth Olympic Games period.

Two more events with Nordic Combined participation are on schedule on the 20st and 22nd of January: the Mixed Team Event together with the Ski Jumpers and the Nordic Team Event with two Ski Jumpers, two Cross-Country skiers and two Nordic Combined athletes.

Athletes to watch

Women:

Ayane MIYAZAKI (JPN): Reigning Junior World Champion
Gyda WESTVOLD HANSEN (NOR): Continental Cup runner-up 2018/19, JWSC silver medallist
Thea MINYAN BJØRSETH (NOR): Strong ski jumper, won all three jumping training rounds in Les Tuffes
Jenny NOWAK (GER): Third in the 2018/19 Continental Cup
Emilia GÖRLICH (GER): Strong cross-country skier, double Youth Cup winner Oberhof (GER) August, 2019
Annika SIEFF (ITA): Two-time Alpencup winner 2019
Daniela DEJORI (ITA): Two-time Alpencup winner 2019
Lisa HIRNER (AUT): Strong ski jumper, 1 COC second place on Otepää 2019

Men:

Jan ANDERSEN (GER): Won 2 out of 3 training rounds in Les Tuffes
Sebastian ØSTVOLD (NOR): double Norges Cup winner in January
Waltteri KARHUMAA (FIN): had his World Cup debut in Lahti (FIN), two Youth Cup victories and seven podiums 2015-2017
Pertu REPONEN (FIN): 5 Youth Cup victories 2015-2018
Marco HEINIS (FRA): local hero and two Youth Cup podiums in August 2019
Matteo BAUD (FRA): local hero and two Youth Cup podiums in August 2019
Stefan RETTENEGGER (AUT): 3 Alpencup victories 2019

Ski Jumping Training Results Women
Ski Jumping Training Results Men