Nordic Combined Awards 2024

Again this year, the jury, consisting of international sports journalists, and the fans voted in various categories for the Nordic Combined Awards.

In March 2024, after a long and exciting season, the jury voted from the nominees in the following categories:

Men’s Athlete of the Year

• Joergen Graabak (NOR)

• Johannes Lamparter (AUT)

• Stefan Rettenegger (AUT)

• Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR)

Winner: Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR)

Women’s Athlete of the Year

• Nathalie Armbruster (GER)

• Ida Marie Hagen (NOR)

• Haruka Kasai (JPN)

• Mari Leinan Lund (NOR)

Winner: Ida Marie Hagen (NOR)

Men’s Coach of the Year

• Christoph Bieler (AUT)

• Jan Schmid (NOR)

Winner: Christoph Bieler (AUT)

Women’s Coach of the Year

• Lasse Moilanen (FIN)

• Kazuyoshi Yamada (JPN)

Winner: Lasse Moilanen (FIN)

Men’s Rookie of the Year

• Aleksander Skoglund (NOR)

• Tristan Sommerfeldt (GER)

Winner: Tristan Sommerfeldt (GER)

Women’s Rookie of the Year

• Joanna Kil (POL)

• Minja Korhonen (FIN)

Winner: Joanna Kil (POL)

In an online voting, the fans had the chance to choose their “Fan Favourite”:

Men’s Fan Favourit 2024 

1. Kristjan Ilves (EST) (21.4%)

2. Niklas Malacinski (USA) (19.7%)

3. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) (19.6%)

Women’s Fan Favourit 2024 

1. Minja Korhonen (FIN) (32.3%)

2. Nathalie Armbruster (GER) (18.4%)

3. Annika Malacinski (USA) (16.4%)

Additionally, two special awards were presented by the FIS Team.

German Johannes Rydzek and American Annika Malacinski earned this year's “Advocate of the Year” Award due to their public commitment to Nordic Combined.

The two athletes have drawn attention to the fascination of Nordic Combined, particularly in the media, through their advocacy and are shining examples of the positive advertising of a sport.

With their creativity, clear opinions and honest representation, they serve as role models for many others.

Advocates of the Year

• Annika Malacinski (USA)

• Johannes Rydzek (GER)

Additionally, Team Norway's sports director, Ivar Stuan, received the special Kai Arne Ringen Trophy, in the shape of a hand-carved Viking, for his great work within the Nordic Combined community.

In particular, his involvement in the “Nations supporting Nations” program, on the basis of which the Norwegian team has entered into collaborations with Estonia, Kazakhstan and the USA, contributes to the further development of Nordic Combined.

Stuan's commitment to the entirety of Nordic Combined and to closing the gap between bigger and smaller nations is invaluable for the future of the discipline. 

The awards were presented after the final competitions in Trondheim (NOR).