Preview: Oberstdorf 2021 begins with normal hill events including historic premiere

The first week of the Oberstdorf 2021 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships is in full swing and the first three Nordic Combined competitions on the HS 106 normal hill are approaching fast.

The men will begin with their Individual Gundersen event on Friday, while the Nordic Combined women will have their historic World Championship premiere on Saturday. The men’s Team Event is on schedule on Sunday and will conclude the normal hill events.

Men’s Ind. Gundersen

In the men’s event, it will be up to World Cup leader Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) to defend his Seefeld 2019 maiden title and he goes into the competition as the heavy favourite. Seefeld silver medallist Bernhard Gruber (AUT) will not be on start to defend his medal after his health scare and subsequent second heart surgery after the Lahti Ski Games but bronze medallist Akito Watabe (JPN) has made his aspirations for medals in Oberstdorf clear. With his strong jumping abilities, he might be a bigger threat for the large hill competition in the second week, though.

As customary in normal hill competitions, the strong skiers needs to be watched. Local heroes Vinzenz Geiger and Johannes Rydzek are out for medals “at home” and have left very positive impressions at the last World Cup competition weekend in Klingenthal two weeks ago, as did their equally fast teammates Fabian Rießle and Eric Frenzel. But also Finland’s Ilkka Herola can contend for the podium if he hits that one crucial ski jump.

Women’s Ind. Gundersen

With no title defender, the women are starting in their World Championship premiere with a clean slate. High up on the list of potential favourites are of course Tara Geraghty-Moats (USA), who has been the dominant athlete in the past few years and also won the women’s World Cup premiere in Ramsau am Dachstein in December.

Her toughest competition will likely be newly-minted Junior World Champion Gyda Westvold Hansen (NOR) who jumps on a really high level and can hold her own in the cross-country race as well. In addition, Japan’s Anju Nakamura has proven to be an athlete who can be in the  mix as well, alongside the Leinan Lund sisters from Norway, Youth Olympic Champion Lisa Hirner (AUT) or Germany's Svenja Würth, who changed disciplines from Ski Jumping.

Men’s Team Event

The Team Event is traditionally a fight between the three big Nordic Combined nations of Germany, Norway and Austria and also the Seefeld 2019 event was no exception: a record number of spectators saw Norway claim a narrow lead over Germany and Austria and a race only decided on the last metres of the race.

The teams from Japan, Finland and the young French team might get a word in on a very good day for the team with Japan and France centring their strength on the jumping hill, with the Watabe brothers and Ryota Yamamoto, as well as Laurent Mühlethaler and Matteo Baud, while Finland will make up a lot of ground on the track with fast skiers Ilkka Herola and Eero Hirvonen.

The programme

Friday, 26th of February
09:00 Trial Round HS 106 Men
10:15 Ind. Gundersen Competition Round HS 106 Men
16:00 Ind. Gundersen 10 km cross-country race Men

Saturday, 27th of February
09:00 Trial Round HS 106 Women
10:00 Ind. Gundersen Competition Round HS 106 Women
15:30 Ind. Gundersen 5 km cross-country race Women

Sunday, 28th of February
09:00 Trial Round HS 106 Men
10:00 Ind. Gundersen Competition Round HS 106 Men
15:00 Ind. Gundersen 4x5km km cross-country race Men

Quick Facts

HILL
Schattenbergschanze
Normal Hill HS 106

TRACK
Cross-Country Stadium Ried
Red Course
2.5 km loop
Total climb: 91 m
Maximum climb: 33 m
Height Difference: 40 m

Seefeld 2019 podiums:

IG NH Men
1. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), 2. Bernhard Gruber (AUT), 3. Akito Watabe (JPN)

IG NH Women
Premiere in Oberstdorf

TE NH Men
1. Norway, 2. Germany, 3. Austria