Lasse Ottesen: "We are looking forward to the IOC decision"

As preparations continue for the upcoming World Cup season of Nordic Combined, we spoke with FIS Race Director Lasse Ottesen about the sport’s recent progress, the growth of the women’s circuit, new additions to the World Cup calendar, and the upcoming IOC decision regarding the Olympic programme for French Alps 2030.

Ottesen also shared his thoughts on technology, long term development, and what continues to make Nordic Combined unique.

Last season showed strong performances from both established stars, like Johannes Lamparter, and emerging athletes, like Alexa Brabec. Where do you see the biggest signs of competitive growth, and how can that momentum be sustained?

The women’s side showed fantastic development with first time winners such as Brabec and Korhonen, but also Gruber as the youngest ever female World Cup winner. The ski jumping level improved again, and most importantly the gap from top to bottom became much smaller, which is a very positive sign.

On the men’s side, with Jarl Riiber no longer competing, the field became much more open. With athletes like Lamparter, Schmid, Oftebro and Herola fighting for victories, the ski jumping competitions became even more exciting than before. We are confident this development will continue in the coming seasons.

Looking ahead to the next World Cup season, which venues, formats, or innovations are you most excited about in terms of showcasing Nordic Combined to a wider audience?

The coming season will feature the biggest World Cup calendar in Nordic Combined history, with men and women competing together at around 95 percent of the events.

The major highlight will be the 2027 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, where we will see an equal programme for the first time, including women’s Large Hill and Team Sprint events for both women and men.

We will also introduce new TV graphics next season, which will further enhance the viewing experience.

The recent committee meeting highlighted continued work on calendar development and equal prize money initiatives. How do these decisions reflect the long-term vision for Nordic Combined?

We are happy with the development of the World Cup calendar and are also working to strengthen the Continental Cup calendar for the long term. Long term calendars will be presented in autumn 2026.

The Nordic Combined Committee also has an overall goal of equal prize money by 2030. The first steps will already be made during the next two seasons with increased prize money for women, while the men’s prize money will remain stable.

Over the past four years, Nordic Combined has developed rapidly, from new formats to an expanded women’s calendar and “Nations Supporting Nations” initiatives. How satisfied are you with this progress?

We are very happy with the development during the last Olympic cycle. “Nations Supporting Nations” and the Nordic Combined Development Fund have been strong drivers for youth development and cooperation between nations.

We see strong engagement across the Nordic Combined family, with a shared motivation to support each other and develop the sport together.

AI and digital technologies are becoming increasingly important in sport. How do you see them shaping Nordic Combined in the future?

AI and technology will gradually become more integrated into winter sports and Nordic Combined in the years ahead. TV production, graphics, GPS data and AI will bring viewers even closer to the action from home.

Another exciting project is remote judging, which we are currently working on together with our Ski Jumping colleagues, with the possibility of testing it in the coming years.

With the International Olympic Committee set to make an important decision on the programme for French Alps 2030 in June, how would you describe the current position of Nordic Combined?

My current feeling is good. Together with the teams and National Ski Associations, we presented Nordic Combined in a very positive way to the IOC President and the IOC Programme Commission during the 2026 Games.

Our media department, led by Sophie Hargesheimer, has also done a fantastic job in recent years, significantly increasing our visibility and audience numbers. At the same time, we are seeing growth in our Youth Cups and Junior World Ski Championships, with a record number of nations winning medals.

Within FIS and across the whole Nordic Combined community, we know how much the sport has been growing and how much has been done to ensure that this growth is sustainable. We know we did our part, and that is why we are looking forward to the IOC decision in June.

More broadly, what do you believe are the strongest qualities of Nordic Combined that continue to resonate with athletes, organizers, fans, and Olympic stakeholders around the world?

Nordic Combined represents the ultimate winter athlete. It is at the core of Nordic skiing and combines exciting events across two different venues.

At the same time, our athletes are outgoing, motivated and friendly, which creates a very special atmosphere around the sport.