Oftebro outlasts brother to claim back-to-back wins in Oberhof
Jan 18, 2026·Nordic Combined
Jens Luraas Oftebro proved strongest in a duel with elder brother Einar to storm to his second FIS Nordic Combined World Cup win of the weekend in Oberhof with victory in a gruelling Gundersen.
The Norwegian started the cross-country 52 seconds behind in fifth place, but overtook Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT) - victorious on the hill for the second day running – 4km into the 10km race.
Oftebro worked with brother Einar to establish a 21-second lead over the rest before Jens put the hammer down to break clear of Einar on the third of the four 2.5km laps.
Julian Schmid (GER), who started 1:11 behind alongside Johannes Lamparter (AUT), surged up the field from 14th place to claim a brilliant third place by out-sprinting the overall leader in the finishing straight.
More to follow.
Rehrl pips Rettenegger on hill again
Earlier on the HS100 hill, 45 of the 58 jumpers who started sailed over 90-meters, with three flying over 100m.
Yoshito Watabe (JPN) set the tone with a 97.0m effort for 127.4 points, a tally matched by Terence Weber (GER) after a stylish 94.5m jump before a string of athletes raised the bar again.
Niklas Malacinski (USA, 98.0m for 131.0 points), Marco Heinis (FRA, 98.0m for 132.4) and Simon Mach (GER) - 98.5m, 133.8 points – all took the lead with their respective jumps, Paul Walcher (AUT) also scoring 132.4 from a 96.5m effort, before the leading lights took to the hill.
As was the case on Saturday, Rehrl (below) took the victory with a 103.0m jump – 4.5m longer than he managed a day earlier – to score 146.2 points.
“I am so happy that I had a good chance on this hill again,” he said. “It is really easy for me at the moment to jump far; I'm enjoying it.”
Stefan Rettenegger was the second man to jump over 100m – 101.5m for 134.4 points – to put himself in a strong chance in the cross-country, 47 seconds back.
Another strong skier, Einar Luraas Oftebro, with 5.8 points of wind compensation helping him earn 136.3 points for his 98.0m jump, started only 40 seconds behind in third.
The closest anyone came to toppling Rehrl was team-mate Thomas Rettenegger, the season’s best jumper, who soared out to 104.0m - the longest of the day - but for the second day running it was not enough to deny Rehrl victory.
But his 141.6 points did put Rettenegger, who has made huge improvements in the tracks, only 18 seconds back heading to the cross-country.
But Lamparter, with a 94.5m jump, and Schmid, with 95.0m, left themselves with 1:11 to make up from 13th and 14th places.
