World Cup returns to Otepää

After a two-year break, the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup is back in Otepää.

For the first time, the women will also be holding a World Cup in Estonia and will be competing together with the men at the Tehvandi stadium and HS97 from 10. - 12. December 2021.

29 women from eleven nations and 51 men from 14 nations are entered for the two Individual Gundersen events each. Once again, all eyes will be on Norway, which has already impressed across the board at the first two World Cup stations of the winter. 
In the women’s case, Gyda Westvold Hansen will remain the woman to beat after a more than convincing start to her season with two victories at home soil in Lillehammer last weekend. 
On the men’s side, the current overall World Cup leader Jarl Magnus Riiber is the top favorite, after winning the last two Gundersen competitions in Otepää in January 2019.

After the last two planned World Cup events in February 2020 and January 2021 had to be canceled, Nordic Combined is now returning for an anniversary.

The Estonian Ski Association celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 28th and rings in its anniversary year with the World Cups in Otepää. Tõnu Seil, Secretary General of the Estonian Ski Federation, said that there are many events to come this season but the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup is the first and most important event of the year for the organizers.

So the focus will particularly be on local hero Kristjan Ilves who returns to his home events with some good memories, after winning the Continental Cup in Otepää 2017.

With a positive snow control and a promising weather forecast for the upcoming week, Otepää is ready for a tightly packed weekend of four World Cup events.