Schmid ends victory drought with Mass Start win in Otepää
Jan 09, 2026·Nordic Combined
Julian Schmid (GER) ended a near three-year wait for a Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup individual win with victory in a wind-affected Mass Start in Otepää, Estonia.
The 26-year-old German, whose three previous wins all came in 2022-23 - the last in Oberstdorf (GER) in February 2023 – finished fourth in the cross-country behind brothers Jens and Einar Luraas Oftebro (NOR) and overall leader Johannes Lamparter (AUT).
But with no ski jumping possible because of dangerously high winds that refused to relent, results from Friday’s Provisional Competition Round were used to determine the outcome.
Schmid’s stylish 96.0m jump – the joint-fourth longest of the day – was good enough to earn him 114.0 points overall, pipping Yellow Bib holder Lamparter (113.4), who soared out to 99.5m in the PCR, by just 0.6 points for the victory.
Einar Luraas Oftebro’s excellent 96.0m jump secured the Norwegian his first ever World Cup podium finish with 109.0 points, with younger brother Jens having to settle for fourth on 107.2 ahead of Johannes Rydzek (GER) in fifth (106.7).
Schmid had recorded 13 individual podiums, including three this season, since his last World Cup win 35 months ago. It was his second victory in Otepää, where he also won a Gundersen in January 2023.
“I am really happy with my victory; it is a long time ago since my last one!” said Schmid, who moved above Thomas Rettenegger (AUT) in the overall standings. “I had good jumps yesterday and the race today was also really good.”
Lamparter, who now has a 96-point lead overall, declared himself “really satisfied” after his fifth podium finish in seven events this season.
“My cross-country performance was really great today – I am feeling a bit better at the beginning of this year," he said.
Oftebro, who made his World Cup debut in March 2018 and returned to action last January after nearly two years out with a serious knee injury, was understandably delighted to make the top three for the first time, having finished fourth in Ruka in December.
“It feels really good,” said the 27-year-old. “I have been waiting for quite a while. It is almost my 10th year but I have been working really hard and to finally be on the podium is really great.”
Oftebros seal cross-country one-two
Earlier, in tough conditions in the tracks, Norway’s two sets of siblings - Jens and Einar Luraas Oftebro, and the Skoglund brothers Andreas and Aleksander - were all prominent in the leading group.
Austrian duo Stefan Rettenegger and Lamparter, plus home favourite Kristjan Ilves (EST), all took turns at the front in the early stages before Jens Luraas Oftebro and then Andreas Skoglund led a bunch of 10 athletes all within 3.5 seconds – including Rydzek, Schmid and Ilkka Herola (FIN) - through the halfway point at 5km.
But Jens Luraas Oftebro made his move on the penultimate 2km lap, opening a small gap on the rest which he extended to 1.6 seconds approaching the final stretch into the Tehvandi Stadium.
Oftebro (left, above) accelerated away to win in 23:49.0, 6.5 seconds clear of his brother Einar (right), with Lamparter 7.4 seconds adrift – a deficit of only 1.9 points – and Schmid finishing strongly to take fourth, 9.5 seconds – or 2.4 points – behind, ahead of Andreas Skoglund (11.1 secs), Rydzek (21.0 secs) and Stefan Rettenegger (21.1 secs), with Ilves in 10th.
On Saturday, the second day of competition in Otepää, the men will tackle a Gundersen, with the jumping at the revised time of 09:20 CET and the 10km cross-country scheduled for 12:40, before a Compact on Sunday.
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