Imperious Hagen reels off eighth straight World Cup win
Dec 21, 2024·Nordic Combined
Defending champion Ida Marie Hagen surged to her fourth straight win this season and second of the weekend in Ramsau to extend her lead in the women’s Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup standings.
The 24-year-old Norwegian, who won a truncated Mass Start competition on Friday, started the Compact cross-country six seconds behind Haruka Kasai (JPN), who topped the standings in the ski jumping.
But Hagen caught Kasai barely 1:30 into the 5km race and had opened up a 21-second lead by halfway with Nathalie Armbruster (GER) and Kasai her closest pursuers.
Hagen pushed on in imperious style and was celebrating long before the finish line to seal her eighth successive World Cup win, having won the final four events of last season. It was her 13th overall since her first in Ramsau 12 months ago.
Armbruster proved the strongest challenger to finish second, 28.5 seconds back, her second podium of the season after another second place in Lillehammer.
“It was amazing,” she said. “I felt so much better than yesterday, the conditions were better and I had fast skis so I am happy with second place. It’s especially cool when my family is here.”
Gyda Westwold Hansen (NOR), who started with a 38-second deficit, claimed the final spot on the podium after moving up from 10th place on the hill.
“It was a hard race but the skis were very good and I think it was a very positive day,” said the two-time overall champion. “The plan now is to fix the jumping and if I do that, I hope to be back fighting for the top places.”
German Cindy Haasch (above), who had the third best performance on the hill, came home fourth, the best World Cup result of her career, with Kasai settling for fifth after her second place on Friday.
Earlier, in sunny but changeable conditions, Finnish teenager Heta Hirvonen, the youngest competitor on the hill at 16 and 67 days, set the early mark with an 89.5-meter effort for 126.3 points.
There was a pause in proceedings after American Alexa Brabec suffered a heavy fall on landing after an 89.0m jump and required treatment being before led away by the medics. Brabec did not start the cross-country as a result.
The changing wind caused race officials to move the start gate down one position and Haasch took the lead with 129.0 points from an 89.5m jump.
Compatriots Maria Gerboth – 126.4 from a 93.0m effort - and Armbruster, who had the joint-longest jump of 93.5m for 127.8 points to finish fourth on the hill, also impressed.
Armbruster’s effort matched the length of Hansen's, but the two-time champion sat down on her landing, her 123.7 points leaving her 10th after the jumping, 38 seconds back.
Instead it was Kasai (above), winner of the PCR and second in Friday’s Mass Start, who led on the hill, her 90.0m effort earning 134 points.
But Hagen, the last to go, was close behind with 132.9 points from an excellent 92.0m jump, leaving the defending champion only six seconds back starting the cross-country.
That was never likely to be a deficit to trouble the dominant Norwegian and she duly powered on to victory with ease.
"It felt amazing," Hagen added. "I tried to ski fast so I could enjoy some champagne now we have a break!"
Hagen now leads the overall standings - with a maximum 400 points - by 95 points from Armbruster, with Kasai in third and Hansen in fourth, 150 points behind her compatriot.
The women's season will resume in Schonach, Germany, on 17-19 January with Gundersen and Compact competitions scheduled.
Click here for full results from Sunday's Compact.
