COC: Falun wraps up season with thrilling final races

The FIS Continental Cup (COC) in Falun, Sweden, wrapped up the 2025/26 season in style from 27 February to 1 March, serving as a key test event for Nordic Combined ahead of next season’s FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

Athletes competed in an Individual Gundersen on Friday, Mass Start events on Saturday, and a Mixed Team competition on Sunday – closing out the final COC weekend of the winter.

Friday – Individual Gundersen

On the HS95 normal hill, Alexa Brabec set the tone in ski jumping, soaring 88.5 meters to collect 119.8 points and take the lead. Norway’s Ida Marie Hagen matched the distance at 88.5 meters but scored 113.8 points for second place, while Germany’s Nathalie Armbruster followed in third with 85 meters and 112.1 points.

However, Brabec did not start the 5km cross-country race, handing Hagen the advantage as first onto the course. The Norwegian star, already dominant on the World Cup circuit, delivered another commanding performance. Hagen powered to a clear start-to-finish victory, crossing the line with a 1:17.5 minute lead. Armbruster held firm in second place, while France’s Lena Brocard, who had been eighth after the jump, produced a strong race to climb onto the podium in third.

Finland’s Herman Happonen recorded the longest jump of the day at 93 meters, earning 127.6 points to lead after the ski jumping round. Italy’s Iacopo Bortolas followed with 90.5 meters and 125.5 points, starting the 10km race eight seconds behind. Norway’s Kasper Moen Flatla was third after jumping 91.5 meters (125.4 points), nine seconds off the lead.

The cross-country race reshuffled the standings dramatically. Norway’s Aleksander Skoglund delivered a sensational 10km performance, charging from 17th place after the jump all the way to victory. Skoglund secured the win ahead of teammate Flatla, who finished second just 3.8 seconds behind. Happonen held on for third, only four seconds off the winning time in a tightly contested finish.

Saturday – Mass Start

Ida Marie Hagen once again demonstrated her superiority in the women’s 5km Mass Start. She clocked the fastest time of 13:30.5 minutes, crossing the finish line first. Armbruster followed 55.5 seconds behind (-13.9 points), with Italy’s Daniela Dejori 56.1 seconds back (-14.0 points).

On the hill, Hagen sealed the overall victory with a jump of 86.5 meters. Brabec responded with the longest jump of the day at 95 meters to take second place overall, finishing just 0.7 points behind Hagen. Armbruster’s 92-meter jump secured her third spot on the podium.

Austria’s Fabio Obermeyr narrowly claimed the 10km Mass Start, completing the course in 24:02.6 minutes. Skoglund finished just one second behind, with Germany’s Benedikt Graebert only 1.1 seconds off the winning time in third.

But the final individual victory of the COC season went to Iacopo Bortolas. Sixth after the cross-country race, the Italian produced a decisive 94.5-meter jump to secure the win overall. Happonen finished second with 95 meters, climbing from 10th after skiing, while Flatla claimed third with a 94-meter jump after ranking eighth in the cross-country leg.

Sunday – Mixed Team

The final COC competition of the season saw Austria lead after the jumping round of the Mixed Team event. Claudia Purker (82.5 m), Fabio Obermeyr (94.5 m), Christian Deuschl (89 m) and Lisa Hirner (89.5 m) combined for 423.7 points. Norway followed closely with 422.9 points, just one second behind heading into the cross-country race. Italy sat third with 403.9 points, 20 seconds off the lead.

In the cross-country relay – 5km for the men and 2.5km for the women – Norway once again proved untouchable. Flatla, Mille Marie Hagen, Ida Marie Hagen and Skoglund quickly reeled in Austria and pulled away to secure a dominant victory.

Austria finished second, 1:14.9 minutes behind, while Germany – represented by Christian Frank, Jenny Nowak, Nathalie Armbruster and Benedikt Graebert – claimed third place, 1:30.7 minutes behind the winners.

With that, the 2025/26 Continental Cup season comes to an end. Kasper Moen Flatla finishes as the men’s overall COC winner, while Slovenia’s Tia Malovrh claims the women’s overall title, bringing an exciting winter campaign to a close.