Seefeld set for first ever women’s World Cup ‘Triple’
Jan 28, 2025·Nordic Combined
Seefeld will witness a historic first in Nordic Combined this weekend as the women compete in a first ever ‘Triple’ in the Viessmann FIS World Cup.
The Austrian resort will host three individual events - a Mass Start, a Compact and a Gundersen - over successive days from Friday 31 January to Sunday 2 February.
In the fifth season since the start of the women’s World Cup, it will be the first time they have enjoyed three different competitions at the same venue, with a special ‘Triple’ trophy awarded to the winner after Sunday’s extended 7.5km Gundersen.
Overall leader Ida Marie Hagen (NOR), who has won all six competitions so far this season and 10 in a row altogether, is looking forward to a busy few days at a venue where she won both events – a Gundersen and a Compact – last year.
“It’s more fun to have three in a row, when you are in the flow of competition,” said the defending champion.
“Three days in those tracks can be hard but Seefeld is an amazing place to compete and it will be super fun."
FIS Race Director Lasse Ottesen explained recently how the introduction of the ‘Triple’ was part of the continued development of the women’s World Cup.
Results from the first two events will be carried over from each day to the next so the first to cross the finish line of Sunday’s Gundersen will take the overall ‘Triple’ trophy.
“It will showcase just how physically strong the athletes are and how interesting and exciting the sport of Nordic Combined can be,” Ottesen said.
Hagen, 24, has a 135-point lead over Germany’s Nathalie Armbruster in the overall World Cup standings heading into the weekend’s action.
Seefeld will also host a ‘Triple’ for the men with a Mass Start on Friday, a Compact on Saturday and an extended Gundersen – with a 12.5km cross-country race, rather than the usual 10km – taking place on Sunday.
The Austrian challenge has been growing in recent weeks with a marked improvement in the team’s ski jumping performances leading to an upturn in results.
In Schonach (GER) last time out, there were seven Austrians in the top 10 on the hill in the Gundersen, and six in the Compact.
That translated into five Austrian finishers in the top 10 overall in both events after the cross-country, with a resurgent Johannes Lamparter leading the way.
The 2022-23 champion was still hampered by a knee problem in the early part of the season but has hit form at the right time approaching his home event, with Seefeld just up the road from his home town of Hall in Tirol.
Lamparter’s third place in Lillehammer in early December was Austria’s only men’s podium of the season until Schonach, where the 23-year-old followed a second place in the Gundersen with a stunning Compact victory, his 15th individual World Cup win.
Lamparter will fancy his chances of further success this weekend at a venue where he has enjoyed seven podiums in his last nine competitions, including two back-to-back victories in January 2023.
Compatriot Stefan Rettenegger, second in last season’s overall standings behind Jarl Magnus Riiber, has also shown signs of being on the verge of a return to the podium, having finished fifth, fourth and five in his last three events.
FACTS AND FIGURES
This will be the first ever ‘Triple’ in the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined Women’s World Cup, with three different events in successive days.
Results from Friday’s Mass Start and Saturday’s Compact will be carried over each day so the winner of Sunday’s Gundersen – extended from the usual 5km to 7.5km - will take the overall ‘Triple’ trophy.
Ida Marie Hagen (NOR) has won the first six World Cup competitions of the season and the last 10 overall going back to last season.
The defending champion won both events in Seefeld last year, part of an ongoing run of 15 wins in her last 18 individual World Cup events.
Seefeld will also host a ‘Triple’ for the men with a 10km Mass Start on Friday, a 7.5km Compact on Saturday and a longer 12.5km Gundersen on Sunday.
Defending champion Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) won all three competitions in Seefeld last year to take the ‘Triple’ trophy – the 11th in men’s World Cup history.
Five-time champion Riiber leads the overall standings by 72 points with German duo Vinzenz Geiger and Julian Schmid (100 points behind) his closest pursuers.
Johannes Lamparter (AUT), up to fourth in the standings after a second place and a victory in Schonach, will be competing on home snow in Seefeld, where he has had seven podiums - including two wins - in his last nine competitions.
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