Hagen shows cross-country class to win Compact on second day in Seefeld

Ida Marie Hagen (NOR) dominated the 5km race to win the FIS Nordic Combined Individual Compact in Seefeld and extend her women’s record of individual World Cup wins to 26.

The Norwegian showed her class in the cross-country by making nothing of Alexa Brabec’s six-second lead to overtake the American, who had finished first in the Normal Hill earlier in the day with a brilliant 104m jump.

It was a difficult race for Brabec knowing she would have to hold off overall World Cup leader Hagen, who grew a significant 19 second gap at the halfway point.

Brabec managed to hold on for second however, while a tussle for the last podium place ensued behind her.

It was Nathalie Armbruster, who claimed two victories during the Nordic Combined Triple in Seefeld last season, who beat the field by sprinting from fifth place at the start to claim third ahead of Ema Volasek (SLO) and Ingrid Laate (NOR).

Despite Laate’s 102m jump putting her into fourth place in the cross-country, she did not finish the race which puts her out of contention for the Triple.

Brabec had celebrated her maiden Nordic Combined World Cup win just a day before in the Mass Start, no doubt boosting her confidence for her Triple campaign.

Hagen finished her 98.5m jump with a fist pump and a celebration with the crowd knowing that it was enough to put her in a good position for the cross-country race.

Volvasek, who has had to overcome some injuries, managed to put herself in third place after the jump.

The Triple finale will be contested by the women in the Individual Gundersen on Sunday, with the jumping starting 10:15 CET and the cross-country scheduled for 14:45.

More to follow …

For results of the Individual Compact Normal Hill click here.