Armbruster seals overall title as Westvold Hansen claims first World Cup win of season

Nathalie Armbruster became the first German woman to claim an overall Viessmann FIS World Cup title as Gyda Westwold Hansen (NOR) continued her recent renaissance by claiming her first individual World Cup victory in over 13 months in Oslo.

Armbruster started the Gundersen cross-country 2:30 behind in 13^th position after a lacklustre jump as the women competed on a large hill in a World Cup competition for the first time.

But the 19-year-old produced a big performance in the tracks, out-sprinting Yuna Kasai (JPN) on the line to finish sixth.

The 55 points she collected were enough to put her 108 points clear of Ida Marie Hagen (NOR), who finished third, in the overall standings, meaning she clinched the Crystal Globe ahead of Sunday’s Compact, the final event of the women’s season.

Although Hagen won the first seven competitions, her hopes of defending her overall crown were hit by a disqualification for a suit infringement in Seefeld (AUT) – costing her points in two competitions – and a fall in Otepää (EST).

Armbruster took full advantage to take her first two World Cup wins in Seefeld before beating Hagen in the tracks for the first time in the Otepää Compact for her third victory.

The teenager has achieved eight podium finishes in all, including three seconds and two thirds.

She ends Norway's dominance in the fourth full season of the women's World Cup, with Westvold Hansen taking the first two titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before Hagen won the Crystal Globe last season.

Westvold Hansen powers to victory

Westvold Hansen started the cross-country in Oslo in second place, 28 seconds behind teenage compatriot Ingrid Laate who, as she did in Trondheim, won the ski jumping round with a stunning performance on the HS134 hill.

But the two-time overall champion, who won two golds and a silver at the World Championships in Trondheim, made up nearly 25 seconds inside the first 0.8km and caught the 17-year-old world junior champion shortly afterwards.

She stretched her lead to 13.2 seconds by 1.6km and kept the hammer down, powering away to win in 13:46.7, 53 seconds clear of Lisa Hirner (AUT), who finished second, holding off a late charge from Hagen, who took the final podium spot.

It was Westvold Hansen’s 22^nd individual World Cup win, and her first since 9 February last year in Otepää (EST).

Although she has long been out of title contention, backing up her superb performances in Trondheim here in Holmenkollen served notice that she will likely be a contender again next season.

“It was a perfect day and so cool to be back on top in this big hill competition,” she said.

Behind her, Hirner also caught Laate by the halfway stage, with Hagen eating up the ground as she moved from eighth to fourth by the end of the first 2.5km loop, closing to within 40 seconds of Laate in third.

That was down to seven seconds by the 3.3km mark before Hagen overtook her compatriot heading into the final kilometer with Hirner – who won World bronze in the Gundersen in Trondheim - in her sights ahead.

But the Austrian held on for second, her first World Cup podium since the opening event of the season in Lillehammer.

“It was a very rough race and Ida was always on my neck and pushing very fast, so I am happy I managed to get second place,” she said.

Hagen’s hopes of defending her overall crown were hit by a disqualification for a suit infringement in Seefeld (AUT) – costing her points in two competitions – and a fall in Otepää (EST).

She had slipped to third in the overall standings heading into her home event, 133 points behind Armbruster, but moved above Haruka Kasai (JPN), who struggled to a ninth-placed finish, into second place.

“Just being able to compete with the girls in Holmenkollen on the big hill for me is so amazing,” she said. “We are really enjoying it.”

Appropriately it was Laate (above), the 17-year-old world junior champion who also took silver in the ski jumping in Lake Placid, who was the first to tackle the Holmenkollbakken HS134 hill.

Laate, who finished ninth in the Mass Start in Trondheim and then a stunning fourth in the Gundersen after winning the jumping round, soared out to 128.5m from gate 27, scoring 106.9 points despite sitting down slightly in her landing, before the majority reverted to gate 30.

“I am impressed by myself, it was really good,” she said. “It is the first time on the big hill but I figured it out, so I am really happy with my performance.”

Maria Gerboth (GER), who leads the best jumper standings, jumped 120.5m (87.3 points) but Hirner (AUT) was the only one to get close to Laate among the first 20 jumpers, her 123.0m jump earning 97.9 points, still a 36-second gap in the cross-country as the differences between the jumpers were heightened by the large hill.

Westvold Hansen (below), buoyed by her return to form and victory in Friday’s PCR, started from gate 25 - five lower than all bar Laate – and may not have jumped as far as she expected - 119.5m – but her 99.9 was still the second best score.

Hagen was slightly late off the table for her 114.5m jump, her 79.1 points putting her 1:51 adrift but still in the podium fight given her strength in the tracks, while Yuna Kasai (116.0m, 84.1) started 1:31 back and finished seventh.

Armbruster (108.5m, 69.5 points) was only 13th on the hill but made up seven places in the tracks to take the ultimate prize.  

The women will be back on the HS134 hill on Sunday for a Compact, the final event of their World Cup season.  The ski jumping will start at 09:00 CET with the 5km cross-country scheduled for 16:20.

Click here for full results from Saturday’s large hill Gundersen.