World Cup action continues in Lahti (FIN)

The Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup action continues in Lahti (FIN). As one of the sport’s most traditional events, in fact, there have only been more individual World Cup events in Oslo (47) than there have been in Lahti (43), Lahti has also been a traditional organisers for a Team Sprint in the last few years. So the second edition of this thrilling format will take place right after Val di Fiemme’s exciting battle last weekend which resulted in a Rießle/Frenzel win.

With Ilkka Herola’s strong performances last weekend and the Team Sprint podium together with Eero Hirvonen, the local heroes definitely primed their home audience for the upcoming events. In contrast to the Italian venue, the competitions in Lahti will take place on the large hill, so that strong jumpers have an advantage as the Akito Watabe victory last year proved.

It is, however, a very difficult place for World Cup leader Jarl Magnus Riiber, who has never been on an individual podium here but was faced with numerous occasions of bad luck, ranging from a heavy crash on the cross-country track with Johannes Rydzek in 2015, taking the wrong way in the stadium in 2016 and injuring his shoulder in the Team Sprint event on the following day. While bad wind conditions relegated him to position ten in the individual last year, he at least finally claimed a Team Sprint win together with Jørgen Graabak.

One notable change occurred in Team Austria: current overall World Cup fifth-placed Johannes Lamparter will take a break and team veteran Bernhard Gruber will join the team for his first competition since Oberstdorf a year ago. Since then, the 38-year-old had to undergo heart surgery and get a stent implanted, which put the continuation of his career in jeopardy.

“I am so looking forward to my comeback”, Gruber said. “I have made my first large hill jumps at Bergisel in Innsbruck on Tuesday and everything feels as if I had never been away. The fire in my still burns. Of course it is really hard to know where I stand internationally but I really like the venue and will go into the competitions with a lot of self-confidence, just enjoy and hope something good will come of it.”

The programme

Friday, 22.01.
11:30 Official Training HS 130
14:00 Provisional Competition Round / Qualification
16:00 Official cross-country Training

Saturday, 23.01.
11:00 Trial Round HS 130
12:30 TEAM SPRINT Competition Round HS 130
16:20 TEAM SPRINT 2x 7.5 km cross-country race

Sunday, 24.01.
08:30 Trial Round HS 130
09:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 130
14:45 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

All times are local times (= CET - 1h)

Timetable may be subject to changes.