Germany edges Austria in thrilling Mixed Team race
Sep 20, 2025·Nordic Combined)
Germany claimed victory in the Mixed Team competition in Ziano di Fiemme after a nail-biting duel with Austria I that came down to the final meters.
In summerly conditions on the Giuseppe dal Ben HS109 in Predazzo, Austria I had delivered the strongest ski jumping performance in the morning. Claudia Purker (97.5 m), Stefan Rettenegger (104.5 m, the furthest distance of the day), Johannes Lamparter (100.5 m) and Lisa Hirner (101.5 m) collected a total of 531.1 points to take the lead after the jumping round.
Germany I, with Jenny Nowak (96 m), Julian Schmid (101 m), Johannes Rydzek (101.5 m) and Nathalie Armbruster (94 m), followed in second place with 504.1 points, 27 seconds behind. Austria II placed third thanks to Annalena Slamik (93 m), Paul Walcher (103.5 m), Thomas Rettenegger (103.5 m) and Katharina Gruber (94.5 m), finishing with 503.7 points and starting the race alongside the Germans.
The 5–2.5–2.5–5 km roller ski race began in the afternoon with Johannes Lamparter heading out first for Austria I. He kept the advantage in the opening lap, leading Schmid and Thomas Rettenegger by 23.6 seconds after 2.5 km, and handed over to Purker with a 19.8-second gap. But the German team steadily closed in: Nowak chased down Purker, shrinking the margin to just 4.9 seconds after 7.5 km.
Lisa Hirner tried to defend Austria’s lead, but Germany’s Nathalie Armbruster stayed glued to her, refusing to let the Austrians escape. Meanwhile, Norway I also came into contention through Ida Marie Hagen, who joined the fight for the podium before the final exchange.
The decisive battle came on the anchor leg between Stefan Rettenegger and Johannes Rydzek. At 12.5 km, only 0.3 seconds separated them, setting up a dramatic sprint finish.
In the end, Rydzek’s sprint proved decisive as he edged out Rettenegger by just 1.7 seconds to secure the win for Germany I. Norway I, anchored by Einar Luraas Oftebro, overtook Paul Walcher of Austria II in the final lap to claim third place, 50.2 seconds behind the winners.
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