Nordic Combined World Cup 2025/26: Records and renewal

The 2025/26 season of the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup will be remembered as one of the most defining chapters in the sport’s modern history. Blending tradition with innovation, and dominance with emerging talent, the winter delivered a compelling narrative from its snowy opening in Ruka to its dramatic finale at Holmenkollen.

A winter that reshaped the sport

From the outset, the season carried a sense of evolution. FIS continued its efforts to modernize Nordic Combined, most notably by introducing a men’s ski flying competition for the first time in World Cup history. Held at Kulm, the event represented a bold expansion of the discipline’s boundaries and added a new dimension to the competition calendar. At the same time, the governing body took meaningful steps toward equality, ensuring equal overall prize money for men and women. A landmark moment for the sport.

As the season unfolded across iconic venues the competitive storylines began to take shape.

Lamparter’s path to the Crystal Globe

In the men’s competition, the season ultimately belonged to Johannes Lamparter. While he did not dominate every weekend, Lamparter’s remarkable consistency across both ski jumping and cross-country proved decisive. Week after week, he placed himself in contention, avoiding costly mistakes and steadily accumulating points. In a sport that demands excellence in two very different disciplines, his balance and reliability set him apart.

Oftebro and the battles that defined the men’s season

Yet Lamparter’s path to the overall title was anything but straightforward. Norwegian star Jens Lurås Oftebro emerged as a formidable rival, particularly on the cross-country course where his endurance and tactical intelligence often gave him the edge. Their duel became a defining theme of the winter, with races frequently decided in the closing kilometers after tightly contested jumping rounds.

This also reflected a broader pattern throughout the season: intense battles within the Norwegian team, especially involving the Oftebro brothers, and highly tactical races where positions often shifted during the cross-country leg.

One of the most memorable moments came in Lahti, where Oftebro produced a stunning late surge to claim victory. He went on to secure the Best Skier Trophy, while Thomas Rettenegger was recognized as the season’s Best Jumper.
The Norwegian impressed, but it was Lamparter’s all-around consistency that ultimately secured the Crystal Globe as well as the Compact and Mass Start Trophy.

Hagen’s historic dominance in the women’s field

On the women’s side, however, the narrative took on a very different tone. The 2025/26 season will be remembered as the winter of Ida Marie Hagen, who delivered one of the most dominant campaigns the sport has ever seen. From the opening competitions, Hagen established herself as the athlete to beat, combining powerful jumping with exceptional speed on the cross-country tracks.

Her dominance quickly turned into history. By the end of the season, she had amassed an extraordinary number of victories, setting a new record and standing on the podium in every individual event she entered. It was not merely the number of wins that impressed, but the manner in which she achieved them.
Often controlling races from start to finish, leaving little opportunity for her rivals to respond.

Breakthrough in Lahti: Korhonen announces herself

And yet, even in a season defined by dominance, there was room for breakthrough. In Lahti, a young Finnish athlete, Minja Korhonen, produced a moment that captured the imagination of the home crowd. At just 18 years old, Korhonen delivered a fearless performance to claim her first World Cup victory, edging out Hagen in a thrilling sprint finish. It was a landmark achievement, marking the first time a Finnish woman had won a Nordic Combined World Cup event, and a clear signal that the next generation is ready to challenge the established order.

Korhonen’s success was part of a broader wave of new and returning contenders. Katharina Gruber claimed her first World Cup victory in Trondheim, becoming the first Austrian and youngest-ever winner in the women’s circuit, while Alexa Brabec triumphed in Seefeld in the Mass Start format. Brabec in particular enjoyed a standout season, consistently challenging at the front and ultimately finishing second overall. 

The depth of the field was further reflected in the diversity of podiums throughout the winter, with athletes such as Ema Volavšek and Tara Geraghty-Moats returning to the podium. In total, athletes from seven nations across three continents finished in the overall top ten, clear evidence of the sport’s growing global reach and competitive balance.

Innovation, Olympics, and a changing landscape

Beyond individual performances, the season was also shaped by its formats and continued innovation.

The Nordic Combined Triple once again rewarded consistency over multiple days, while new milestones on the World Cup circuit, such as women competing in Lahti for the first time and the introduction of the Mixed Team Sprint, highlighted the sport’s push toward greater diversity.

The mid-season break for the 2026 Winter Olympics added further intensity. The Games brought historic moments, with Johannes Lamparter, Ilkka Herola, and Eero Hirvonen all claiming their first Olympic medals, alongside the debut of the Team Sprint event.
Dominant performances from Jens Lurås Oftebro, who claimed gold in all three competitions, became one of the defining stories of the Games, highlighting his exceptional level during the Olympic events.

Farewells and the rise of a new generation

The winter also carried an emotional undertone, as several of the sport’s most respected figures stepped away from competition. Athletes such as Akito Watabe, Alessandro Pittin, Veronica Gianmoena and Johannes Rydzek brought their remarkable careers to a close, marking the end of an era.

At the same time, their departures are making room for a new generation of athletes who proved exceptionally strong throughout the season, underlining the ongoing generational shift within the discipline.

A sport moving confidently into the future

As the season concluded in Oslo, the broader picture became clear.
The 2025/26 FIS Nordic Combined World Cup was not just about winners and standings, it was about transformation. The introduction of new formats, the continued push for equality, and the emergence of young talents all pointed toward a sport evolving with confidence.

Johannes Lamparter’s consistency and Ida Marie Hagen’s dominance will define the record books, but the true legacy of the season lies in its sense of momentum. Nordic Combined is changing, becoming more dynamic, more inclusive, and more competitive than ever before.