Oftebro surges to Lahti win as Lamparter seals overall title

Jens Luraas Oftebro (NOR) surged clear on the final lap of an enthralling Gundersen in Lahti, Finland, to claim his fourth individual FIS Nordic Combined World Cup victory of the season.

The triple Olympic Winter Games champion from Milano Cortina bided his time perfectly in a hotly-contested cross-country race after an excellent jump of 126.5-meters put him within 20 seconds of overall World Cup leader Johannes Lamparter (AUT), who took victory on the hill.

Oferbro, his brother Einar Luraas Oftebro (NOR) and home favourite Ilkka Herola (FIN) all caught Lamparter around the 3km mark to make it a four-way battle for the podium.

The lead changed hands at regular intervals in the second half of the race before Jens Luraas Oftebro launched a devastating attack with around 2km left which split the leading quartet.

Oftebro swiftly opened a three-second lead over Herola and his brother Einar as Lamparter faded, the 25-year-old Norwegian eventually claiming his 11^th individual World Cup win in 22:48.9, 3.3 seconds clear of Einar Luraas Oftebro.

“We did an amazing job on the jumping hill – second and third place, that was perfect – so we could stay close together (in the tracks)," said the winner. “It was a pretty hard race with a lot of high pace but then it went slower and I felt strong on the last lap."

It was the third time this season the ‘Oftebrothers’ had finished on the podium together, and the second time – after a Gundersen in Oberhof, Germany – they have occupied the top two spots.

“Both me and Jens are jumping really well on this hill and to be P1 and P2 is a great day and a great result for the team, so I am super happy,” said Einar, who claimed his fifth individual podium of the season.

He will now form one of the two Norwegian combinations in Saturday’s Mixed Team event, which features one woman and one man per team, with each athlete skiing 6km - four laps of the 1.5km course - in the cross-country.

“Tomorrow will be really interesting," Oftebro (below, on the hill) added. "Norway will have two really good teams fighting for the top position and after missing out at the Olympics, I’m really glad I can do it at least once this season.”

Herola, who won the inaugural Nordic Combined Ski Flying competition in Kulm, Austria, last week after winning his first two Olympic medals last month, claimed his third individual World Cup podium of the season and his third in all on home snow.

“I couldn’t hope for better, it was just great,” said the 30-year-old, who has hinted this may be his final season. “The Oftebro brothers were strong today – hats off to them, they were the two better guys – and I just didn’t have any weapons.

“But it was a great race – both on the hill and the cross-country for me – and I am very satisfied. I just want to enjoy every moment here.”

Lamparter, despite finishing off the podium, did more than enough to clinch his second FIS Nordic Combined World Cup overall title, adding to his previous Crystal Globe in 2022/23.

Lamparter has a 143-point lead in the standings over Jens Luraas Oftebro with only one more individual event – worth a maximum of 100 points -  to come in Oslo on 16 March.

The HS130 Large Hill at the Salpausselkä Stadium earlier delivered one of the most thrilling jumping competitions of the season, bringing out the best in several of the main contenders as well as inspiring some home athletes.

Early on in the round, three Finns occupied the top three positions with Willie Karhumaa (FIN) briefly taking the lead before team-mate Otto Niitykoski (FIN), jumping 12^th of the 48 starters, flew out to a stunning 128.5m to score 134.4 points.

Herman Happonen (FIN) jumping next, nailed a 120.5m jump (121.6 points) but was later disqualified for a suit infringement.

Marco Heinis (FRA) maintained his strong recent form with a 122.5m effort (126.7 points) and Wendelin Thannheimer (GER) looked to be challenging Niitykoski’s jump with a superb flight and matched the Finn for distance with 128.5m, but was unable to control his landing and fell in the finish area after clipping his skis.

Niitykoski still led before the top five overall contenders headed to the starting ramp.

Herola usurped his compatriot with a 129.0m jump, scoring 134.5 points but losing some from the judges for partially sitting down on landing, before Einar Luraas Oftebro (NOR) took over at the top, earning 134.9 points from his 126.0m effort.

His brother Jens Luraas Oftebro also excelled, scoring 134.5 points from his 126.5m jump, but the best was saved for last.

Lamparter (above) topped the standings after soaring 129.5m – the longest jump of the day – and would have scored even more than 139.5 points but for a tricky landing.

“I was a little bit sad with the landing – the gap to the guys behind could have been a bit bigger,” said the Austrian. “But I was pretty happy with my jump because yesterday was quite a hard day for me.”

Click here for full results from Friday's Large Hill Individual Gundersen.