“The NC women proved that they belong at the highest level!”

After the FIS Spring Meetings, Race Director Lasse Ottesen looks back on lessons learned in the past winter, the premiere of Women’s Nordic Combined on the highest level and gives some which plans and innovations are currently being discussed for the future of Nordic Combined.

2020/21 was a difficult season that was much about dealing with the Covid-19 situation. What are your biggest takeaways from the last winter?

Lasse Ottesen: First of all, l am happy about and grateful for the support from our National Ski Associations and Organising Committees in this difficult and challenging time. They all went all out and made it possible for us to hold our events through the winter.

The FIS Covid-19 Prevention Protocol and all related concepts worked really well to keep us all safe and healthy. l also think we have all learned a lot from this winter. Our task now is to look at what we can bring with us from this winter into the future to keep developing our sport.

2020/21 will also enter the history books as the premiere of the Nordic Combined Women’s World Cup and their World Championship debut. Even if the women only had two competitions on the highest level in the end, would you still call 20/21 a success?

Ottesen: It was definitely a success. It’s correct that due to Covid 19, we where only able to host one World Cup event, thanks to the ÖSV and the OC in Ramsau, but it was a great and exiting event. At the World Championships, the women showed the world a fantastic ski jumping event followed by a great and exiting cross-country race. They proved that they belong at this level.

l am very proud of what we have achieved with the Nordic Combined women in this short time, and are looking forward to the future.

What can we look forward to as the next steps for the Nordic Combined women?

Ottesen: The coming season includes 10 World Cup events, 10 Continental Cup events and the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Zakopane. The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica will already include a Mixed Team event in addition to the women’s Individual event.

The most exiting step will hopefully come in summer 2022, when IOC will decide on the 2026 OWG program. With the latest development and the future plan for Women’s Nordic Combined, l expect the IOC to include it in the program for 2026.

You just had the customary spring meetings which involve two different committee meetings for Nordic Combiend. Which innovations are being worked on for the Nordic Combined men?

Ottesen: We are heading into an Olympic season in 2021/22 season, so we are not making big changes in our rules and regulations. There are some small adjustment to the rules for the Nordic Combined TRIPLE which have been proposed and which will be discussed further in the Nordic Combined Committee meeting in May.

In addition, l have tasked the Sub-Committee for Officials, Rules and Control with developing rules for a Nordic Combined Ski Flying event. We have been working on this for some time, and hope that we can present it on the calendar for 2022/23.

How does it look like with summer competitions this year? Do you plan for the Summer Grand Prix to return as usual and do you think the situation will be easier this year?

Ottesen: How the situation will be this summer is not easy to predict, but we are planning for a Summer Grand Prix at our normal time at the end of August and the first part of September.

We did notice last year when the Summer Grand Prix was cancelled how important it is for us all to meet up during the summer: equipment testing, trying out the new rule changes and to prepare us all for the season to come. We are optimistic, and are working for a Summer Grand Prix as normal as possible this summer.

And finally a quick look back at the season: Johannes Lamparter and Gyda Westvold Hansen both won junior and senior titles last season, a really rare occasion. Do you think these two can become the next big names in Nordic Combined?

Ottesen: First of all Congratulations again to both Gyda and Johannes. What they presented and how they performed this winter was fantastic. It’s great to see and have young talents like them challenge the rest of the world elite. l am sure that this is not the last time we will experience them both at the top of the podium.

I would now like to wish all fans a safe and healthy summer, and looks forward to seeing everyone back in the stadiums as soon as possible.