Athletes of the Week: Tara Geraghty-Moats (USA) & Vinzenz Geiger (GER)

The last Nordic Combined weekend of the year 2020 is in the books and what a weekend it was! Not only did Vinzenz Geiger prolong his love affair with Ramsau am Dachstein and claim two victories, out-sprinting Jarl Magnus Riiber on the final stretch two times in a row but also the Nordic Combined Women had a glorious World Cup debut with Tara Geraghty-Moats and Gyda Westvold Hansen fighting all the way to the finish line.

Therefore, it is not a big surprise that we, from now on, will always have two “Athletes of the Week” if women’s and men’s competitions are taking place side by side in Nordic Combined.

For Tara Geraghty-Moats, her first World Cup victory in Nordic Combined was a childhood dream come true. The 27-year-old American tried her hand at cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping over the years before being finally able to settle in “her” discipline. For her perseverance, excellence and consistency in Nordic Combined over the last few years and outspoken support of the development of the women’s side of the discipline, the fist World Cup victory for Geraghty-Moats could not be more deserved.

For the German team, the two victories by Vinzenz Geiger were important beacons: they have a home World Championship to train towards and the lost title of the best nation in Nordic Combined to reclaim. Even though the small hill and difficult track in Ramsau are certainly to Geiger’s taste, the way he skied tactically smart races and out-sprinted the dominating athlete of the last two years on the final stretch two times in a row were something to behold.

Both performances have us very ready for more in 2021. Applause to our Athletes of the Week, and coincidentally also of the Christmas holidays, Tara Geraghty-Moats and Vinzenz Geiger.