Nordic Combined: Thomas Rettenegger wins mass start in Trondheim

Austria’s Nordic combined team dominated the World Cup mass start competitions in Trondheim on Saturday.

First, 17‑year‑old Upper Austrian Katharina Gruber delivered a sensation by claiming her first World Cup win—also the first ever women’s World Cup victory for Austria (ÖSV) in Nordic combined.

In the men’s event, Salzburg’s Thomas Rettenegger surged from seventh after the ski portion to victory, thanks to a standout 100‑meter jump that set the benchmark in the jumping round. Only fellow Austrian Paul Walcher came close with 99.5 m. Rettenegger won by 4.3 points over Germany’s Wendelin Thannheimer, with Austria’s Franz‑Josef Rehrl taking third.

Rettenegger, celebrating his maiden World Cup win just like Gruber, said it felt “brutally good.” He explained that after the skiing he knew that if he nailed his jump, “something cool could happen,” but turning it into a win was “wonderful.” He also hailed the team’s depth, noting Austria placed first, third, fifth, sixth (Johannes Lamparter) and seventh (Martin Fritz). “We’ve got a really great team. It’s so much fun—everyone is happy for everyone.”