Nordic Combined season 2020/21 culminates in Klingenthal (GER)
Mar 18, 2021·Nordic Combined
After a lack of snow, warm temperatures and an unfavourable weather forecast made the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined Finals in Schonach (GER) impossible, the organisers in Klingenthal jumped in and therefore the World Cup moves to the Vogtland region for the second time this winter.
Both the ski jump and the cross-country ski track in Klingenthal are still in good condition after the World Cup in February, even though the track had to be shortened to a 1.67 km lap due to now existing snow depots in other parts of the course. This means the lap will be skied six times in the races this weekend. The helpers are currently on duty every day to fine-tune the competition venue.
The men’s elite of Nordic Combined will meet for two more Individual Gundersen events in Klingenthal from March 19 to 21. 57 athletes from 12 countries are currently on the registration list for the weekend, among them the newly crowned world champions Jarl Magnus Riiber and Johannes Lamparter.
Of course, the home from Germany will also be on start at the Sparkasse Vogtland Arena. "I am happy that Klingenthal has taken over the World Cup final and that we now have another competition there. I have once again prepared myself well, and now we will give everything to have a nice finish at home," says legend Eric Frenzel, who won a team silver and bronze medal in Oberstdorf.
Teammate Vinzenz Geiger will certainly do everything in his power to repeat his back-to-back wins in Klingenthal from February and maybe challenge Jarl Magnus Riiber for the crystal globe, even though the chance is slim, as the Norwegian goes into the weekend with a 186-point lead. Geiger in turn has to fight off Japan’s Akito Watabe for the second place, who is trailing the German by 106 points.
Whether or not he takes second place, Watabe will likely reach another most impressive record this weekend: He can finish in the top three of the overall World Cup standings for the ninth yeah, an impressive statement to the 32-year-old’s extreme consistency in his career. His eight podiums in the overall World Cup standings are already an all-time record.
For the German team, the main focus is on the Nations Cup, which was won by Norway for the last three years. The team of head coach Hermann Weinbuch leads with 3228 points over Norway (2704) and Austria (1911).
The programme
Friday, 19.03.
13:00 Official cross-country training
15:00 SJ HS 140 Official Training
17:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification HS 140
Saturday, 20.03.
09:45 Trial Round HS 140
11:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 140
14:45 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race
Sunday, 21.03.
09:45 Qualification HS 140
11:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 140
14:45 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race
