Eight A-team athletes and a new head coach in Norway
Apr 30, 2021·Nordic Combined
The Norwegian Ski Association has selected eight athletes for the elite national teams in the combined season 2021-2022. Three athletes have been selected for the women's elite team, while there are five athletes for the men's elite team.
“The list of requirements to get into the elite teams Nordic Combined has never been more high-level. Common to all selected is that they came home from the FS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf with medals”, says Sports Director Ivar Stuan.
On the men's side, the Olympics in Beijing and on the women's side, a considerably grown World Cup will be the main goals next season. The coaching teams around the teams is now also beginning to take shape. Thomas Kjelbotn continues as head coach for the women's team, while Jan Schmid takes over as head coach for the men's team. Schmid joins Assistant Coaches Stian Kvarstad and Tom Hilde.
“We are very happy that Thomas continues and that Jan gets a "promotion" from his sports science position. Thus, the head coaches are in place. We will nominate the final teams ahead of the Olympic season”, says Stuan.
On the men's side, there is a larger group right behind the selected athletes who will receive international assignments, both in the Continental Cup and in the World Cup. It is considered important for the Nordic Combined national teams that they have a good plan in the strong regional teams in Oslo, Trondheim and Lillehammer. On the women's side, there are also several promising athletes behind the trio on the elite team, and there will be an opportunity for more to get international assignments.
“As the national team is sharpened to a greater extent, the extended teams get an even more important role. In the teams, a lot of the foundation is laid both before and while the athletes are on the elite team, and we have a very good collaboration with these training centres today”, says Stuan.
The season plan is being put down down these days, and joint training camps are planned across both elite teams.
“The program will largely consist of technical and physical training in everyday life and with a specific jumping focus in training camps. From August, the Summer Grand Prix and the Norwegian Cup will also be relevant as competition training towards the start of the World Cup in Lillehammer in December. The women show a good development in all possible ways, with a raw attitude, presence and great execution power in daily training work”, says the women's head coach Thomas Kjelbotn.
The new head coach for the men's elite team, Jan Schmid, builds on the program that has worked well in recent years.
“We stay in Norway before the summer holidays, but plan a longer stay in July / August to practice what meets us in the Olympics. After that, most athletes will test themselves in international and national competitions in the Summer Grand Prix and national summer races before the last gatherings towards the start of the season. This is planned, among other places, in Oberstdorf, Germany. The season's big goal is the Olympics, and most of what we do from when we start this May is aimed at performing at the top level in China in February 2022”, says Schmid.
Men
Jørgen Graabak
Jarl Magnus Riiber
Espen Bjørnstad
Jens Lurås Oftebro
Espen Andersen
Women
Gyda Westvold Hansen
Marte Leinan Lund
Mari Leinan Lund
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