Nordic Combined
No jumping, no result – bitter end for Nordic combined in Ruka
November 30, 2025 / Sportschau
High winds in Ruka forced the cancellation of the ski jumping portion of Sunday’s Nordic Combined men’s World Cup mass start, and because no Provisional Competition Round (PCR) had been held, the entire event was voided. Germany’s Julian Schmid had finished third-fastest over 10 km and was poised for a third straight podium after two runner-up results earlier in the weekend, but accepted the decision as correct. Strong cross-country efforts from the German team (including Wendelin Thannheimer, David Mach, Tristan Sommerfeldt, Johannes Rydzek and Terence Weber) ultimately counted only as training with no World Cup points awarded.
Second race, second podium: Combined skier Julian Schmid starts the season in style
November 29, 2025 / Sportschau
Germany’s Julian Schmid finished second again in the Nordic Combined World Cup opener in Ruka, once more behind Austria’s Johannes Lamparter, securing his Olympic qualifying norm with back-to-back podiums. High winds forced cancellation of the day’s ski jumping round, so the provisional competition round set the start order; Schmid then out-sprinted Thomas Rettenegger for P2, while Wendelin Thannheimer’s fall cost him a top result. World Cup champion Vinzenz Geiger was absent due to a foot injury but hopes to return in Ramsau in December.
Lamparter doubles up in Ruka with dominant Gundersen win
November 29, 2025 / FIS
Austria’s Johannes Lamparter won a wind-affected Gundersen event in Ruka to claim his fourth consecutive Nordic Combined World Cup victory, extending a streak that began with the final two races of last season. With ski jumping canceled due to strong crosswinds, the Provisional Competition Round stood, giving Lamparter a head start that he converted into a comfortable cross-country win ahead of Germany’s Julian Schmid and Austria’s Thomas Rettenegger. The result underscores Lamparter’s early bid for the overall title as defending champion Vinzenz Geiger sits out with a foot injury.
Lamparter wins Nordic Combined opener in Ruka
November 28, 2025 / FIS
Austria’s Johannes Lamparter won the season-opening Compact event of the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Ruka, Finland, building on a strong 134.5 m jump and controlling the 7.5 km cross-country to finish in 17:38.2. Germany’s Julian Schmid took second and Finland’s Ilkka Herola delighted home fans with third, while Thomas Rettenegger led after jumping but faded to seventh. The win, Lamparter’s 18th World Cup victory, comes with defending champion Vinzenz Geiger sidelined by injury and after the retirement of Jarl Magnus Riiber.
Ilkka Herola takes 3rd as wind cancels ski jumping qualification — all from Friday at Ruka
November 28, 2025 / Yle Urheilu
Yle Urheilu live‑blogged the World Cup opening day in Ruka. Finland’s Ilkka Herola finished third in the Nordic combined, with Austria’s Johannes Lamparter winning and Germany’s Julian Schmid second, while Eero Hirvonen placed eighth. Cross‑country winners were Frida Karlsson (women’s 10 km classic) and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget (men’s 10 km classic), and the men’s ski jumping qualification was cancelled due to strong, gusty winds.
Opportunity knocks in Ruka for Nordic Combined rivals
November 25, 2025 / FIS
With defending overall champion Vinzenz Geiger sidelined by a foot injury and five-time Crystal Globe winner Jarl Magnus Riiber retired, contenders see a major opening at the Ruka World Cup opener. The preview highlights Johannes Lamparter, Jens Luraas Oftebro, Ilkka Herola, Johannes Rydzek, Julian Schmid, Terence Weber and Akito Watabe, and lists a three‑event schedule (Compact, Gundersen, Mass Start) across 28–30 November in Ruka.
German duo face fight to defend World Cup crowns in new Nordic Combined season
November 20, 2025 / FIS
FIS previews the 2025–26 Nordic Combined World Cup, where Germany’s Vinzenz Geiger and Nathalie Armbruster aim to defend their overall titles in a field opened up by Jarl Magnus Riiber’s retirement. The article reviews last season’s dramatic finish, highlights key contenders like Johannes Lamparter, Stefan Rettenegger, Julian Schmid, Ilkka Herola, and Ida Marie Hagen, and outlines a packed calendar including Seefeld’s Triple, Milano–Cortina 2026, and the discipline’s first men’s Ski Flying event at Kulm. It also notes steps toward gender equality with equal overall prize-money distribution and significant women’s venues, including Lahti large hill and a mixed team event.
German Nordic combiners Stenzel and Sommerfeldt ready for World Cup opener
November 18, 2025 / Sportschau (MDR regional)
Germany’s Richard Stenzel and Tristan Sommerfeldt will start the 2025/26 Nordic Combined World Cup in Ruka on 27 November. Sommerfeldt, temporarily replacing Olympic champion Vinzenz Geiger who is out with a right‑foot injury, and Stenzel—both 20 and now training under Ronny Ackermann—aim to stake claims for one of three German Olympic spots for Milano‑Cortina 2026. Head coach Eric Frenzel says internal qualification standards are stricter than DOSB’s: two podiums or three top‑six results are required.
Surgery layoff: Austrian Nordic combined ace to miss World Cup opener; Seidl called up
November 13, 2025 / Krone.at
Austria’s Fabio Obermeyr underwent an appendectomy and will miss the Nordic Combined World Cup opener in Ruka at the end of the month. The Austrian team has called up Mario Seidl as his replacement, marking his first World Cup start since March 2024 after serving a backdated blood‑doping suspension covering Nov 2019–Nov 2023. Team doctor Philipp Wagner expects Obermeyr to resume training in about two weeks.
Setback for Germany’s Nordic combined star Vinzenz Geiger: ligament avulsions sideline him for season start
November 10, 2025 / SPORT1
Two-time Olympic champion Vinzenz Geiger suffered three bony ligament avulsions in his right foot during strength training and will miss the opening World Cup rounds in Kuusamo and Lillehammer. Germany head coach Eric Frenzel says the injury is not long-term and expects a relatively quick return once healed. With Jarl Magnus Riiber retired, Geiger had been seen as a leading favorite heading into the Olympic season (February 6–22).
Armbruster: Excluding women from Nordic combined is a “no‑go”
November 10, 2025 / Sportschau (BR/ARD)
German Nordic combined star Nathalie Armbruster criticizes the IOC decision to exclude women’s Nordic combined from the 2026 Winter Olympics, calling it unfair and harmful to the sport’s future. Despite reforms by FIS and growth since women were admitted in 2020, the IOC will review data from Milan–Cortina 2026 before deciding whether Nordic combined remains on the Olympic program in 2030, potentially for both genders—or not at all. Teammates like Julian Schmid and double Olympic champion Johannes Rydzek warn that losing Olympic status could threaten youth development and World Cup support.
Ligament avulsions — Overall World Cup winner to miss the season start
November 10, 2025 / krone.at
Germany’s Vinzenz Geiger, the reigning overall Nordic Combined World Cup champion, has suffered three bony ligament avulsions during a warm-up for strength training and will miss the Olympic-season opener. According to the German Ski Association, he will skip the World Cup rounds in Ruka (Nov 27–30) and Trondheim (Dec 5–7). With Jarl Magnus Riiber retired, Geiger had been seen as a key rival to Austria’s Johannes Lamparter heading toward the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.