Full circle: Nordic Combined looks forward to return to Oberstdorf in 2031

Ten years after making history, Nordic Combined will return to one of its most memorable World Championship venues.

Last week, Oberstdorf (GER) was awarded the 2031 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, bringing the event back to the Allgäu for the fourth time after hosting the Championships in 1987, 2005 and 2021. For the Nordic Combined family, it is more than just another edition of the World Championships. It is a chance to come full circle.

Oberstdorf 2021 marked a historic milestone as women competed in Nordic Combined at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships for the very first time. The inaugural competition, a Normal Hill Gundersen, was won by Norway's Gyda Westvold Hansen ahead of teammates Mari Leinan Lund and Marte Leinan Lund, completing an all-Norwegian podium.

It was a breakthrough moment for the discipline, but one that happened under extraordinary circumstances. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no spectators were allowed in the stadiums. While the athletes made history, they had to do so without the cheers of thousands of fans.

A decade later, the picture looks very different.

When the World Championships return to Oberstdorf in 2031, the grandstands are expected to be full, and the women will return not for one historic event, but as part of a fully established World Championship program.

For Johannes Lamparter, Oberstdorf will always hold a special place in his career. In 2021, the Austrian arrived directly from the Junior World Ski Championships and captured his first senior World Championship gold medal.

"For me, the World Championships in Oberstdorf were the first big stage where I had the chance to fight for medals," Lamparter recalled. "My best memory is definitely winning the individual World Championship title. I was skiing the laps on my own, just hoping I could hold on until the finish. I remember having a lot of conversations with myself out there."

He also remembers the venue itself and is excited to experience it again with fans filling the grandstands.

"Oberstdorf has two fantastic ski jumping hills and an extremely demanding cross-country course. It's simply a world-class venue," he said.

Marte Leinan Lund, who won bronze in the first-ever women's World Championship event, also looks back on Oberstdorf with great affection.

"Oberstdorf 2021 was amazing," the Norwegian said. "What I remember the most is being able to share the podium together with my teammates Gyda and Mari. I think it was a special moment for all of us."

Looking ahead to 2031, Leinan Lund hopes the next visit to Oberstdorf will showcase just how far the sport has come.

That wish is already becoming reality.

At the next FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun 2027, Nordic Combined will feature an equal competition program for the first time. Women will compete for three World Championship titles, matching the men's program, including the first-ever women's Large Hill event, alongside the popular Mixed Team competition.

The journey from 2021 to 2031 tells the story of the rapid development of women's Nordic Combined. What started with one historic competition in empty stands has grown into an equal World Championship program that will be celebrated in front of thousands of fans.