The Nordic Combined competition in Oberhof, Germany, delivered a dramatic finish Saturday as Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro claimed victory in a sprint to the finish.Austria’s team demonstrated considerable strength throughout the event,particularly dominating the ski jumping phase with a podium sweep led by Franz-Josef Rehrl . Both the men’s and women’s competitions saw compelling performances as athletes battled challenging conditions and a compact race format.
Jens Luraas Oftebro of Norway captured the victory in a thrilling sprint finish at the Nordic Combined event in Oberhof, Germany, on Saturday. Oftebro edged out his competitors to claim the top spot, while the Austrian team dominated the competition with multiple athletes finishing in the top ten.
The Austrian squad showcased their strength in the ski jumping portion of the event, securing a remarkable triple victory with Franz-Josef Rehrl, Stefan Rettenegger, and Einar Luraas Oftebro taking the top three positions. Johannes Lamparter finished sixth, and Paul Walcher secured seventh place, completing a strong showing for the Austrian team.
The compact format of the competition meant athletes began the 7.5km cross-country race with predetermined time gaps based on their ski jumping results. Rehrl, Rettenegger, and Rettenegger quickly formed a leading group alongside Oftebro, but the pack soon swelled to ten competitors as the chasers closed the gap. In the final kilometers, Lamparter, Rettenegger, and the Oftebro brothers broke away from the main group, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Oftebro ultimately proved fastest on the final stretch.
“It was a really good day today. The jump was solid. We found something yesterday that needed improvement, and I managed to make that happen today. The race was really good, and I felt very good,” said Johannes Lamparter. “Jens was simply too strong on the final transition, and I have to congratulate him. All in all, a great day in Oberhof with sunshine, great fans, and a cool atmosphere. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.”
Stefan Rettenegger expressed some disappointment with his fourth-place finish but remained optimistic. “Things went well in the jumping, which we’ve worked really hard for step by step. I’m already very satisfied with the jumps, although I’m still lacking a bit of ease. I’ll take that with me today. The cross-country skiing isn’t quite as easy as it was at the beginning of the season. Every step is a bit of a battle, and I was missing something in the final round to really contend for the top spot. I’ll just say that I’m saving something for the important days ahead.”
Thomas Rettenegger finished sixth, and Franz-Josef Rehrl secured tenth place, adding to Austria’s impressive performance. Fabio Obermeyr also delivered a standout performance, gaining 45 positions with the fourth-fastest run time, finishing 12th after starting in 57th.
The additional results for the Austrian men were:
15. Martin Fritz
36. Paul Walcher
40. Florian Kolb
In the women’s competition, Lisa Hirner of Austria achieved the best result for her country, finishing sixth. The Steiermark native moved up four places from her tenth-place finish in the ski jumping round. The victory went to Ida Marie Hagen of Norway, continuing her dominant season, followed by Nathalie Armbruster of Germany and Minja Korhonen of Finland.
Katharina Gruber was eighth after the jumping round but fell back to 14th overall. Claudia Purker finished 18th, and Annalena Slamik ended the competition in 28th place.
