Annalena Slamik: "If you keep your joy, the results will come by themselves"

At 22, Austrian Nordic Combined athlete Annalena Slamik has already lived through many milestones in the development of women’s Nordic Combined—from her debut at the historic first World Cup in Ramsau to consistent top results on the circuit.

In this interview with FIS, Slamik reflects on personal growth, the evolution of the women’s field, and why maintaining joy is central to her performance.

On her Ramsau 2020 debut and development: Slamik recalls her World Cup debut at home in Ramsau as a special, nerve‑filled moment. Since then, both her ski jumping and cross-country segments have improved markedly, and she has gained routine and calm. The early nerves have faded as experience has built, leaving her stronger and more composed.

On the sport’s progression: She welcomes the expansion of the women’s calendar, including the chance to jump on large hills, and hopes for more such events. While the sport’s exclusion from the Olympic Games was a major disappointment, she sees a clear positive trend: a higher competitive level, more athletes and nations, and a growing field beyond the early small core group.

On Mixed Team events: Slamik calls the Mixed Team format one of her favorites because of its energy and shared responsibility—“you win together and lose together.” She wishes there were more Mixed Team competitions in winter.

On her breakthrough in Otepää: Last season she achieved her first top‑10 finish with 10th place in Otepää—on a hill she likes—which boosted her confidence, especially after an uncertain start to the season in ski jumping. She aims to make top‑10 results more frequent and consistent.

Future goals and mindset: Slamik’s targets include stabilizing performances, especially transferring training level to competitions, and racing wholeheartedly in the cross-country part. Above all, she prioritizes staying healthy mentally and physically and keeping her passion, believing good results will follow.

Off-snow project “SometimesPicky”: Together with teammate Claudia Purker, Slamik launched the Instagram channel “SometimesPicky” to share a light‑hearted, behind‑the‑scenes look at life on the World Cup tour, training camps, and downtime—showcasing their personalities beyond being athletes and promoting the sport in a relatable way.