The Olympic efforts were in vain, so the Nordic combined women want to advertise their discipline with exciting competitions. At the World Cup in Lillehammer, the German team achieves its best placement so far. 16-year-old Nathalie Armbruster storms onto the podium.
The only 16-year-old Nathalie Armbruster took third place with a strong race at the season opener of the Nordic Combined women. In Lillehammer, Norway, Armbruster gave the German combined athletes their first ever podium finish in the World Cup. “I’m just happy. I don’t know what to say,” said Armbruster. “There are not the right words to describe my feelings.”
After a jump of 92 meters from the normal hill, Armbruster was fourth. In the decisive cross-country race over five kilometers, she passed Austria’s Lisa Hirner, who had started just ahead of her, and ran onto the podium. A year ago, Jenny Nowak had achieved the best German World Cup result to date with sixth place in Otepää, Estonia. Nowak in sixth place and Magdalena Burger in eleventh place completed a strong result for the German Ski Association (DSV).
As expected, the Norwegian Gyda Westvold Hansen secured the victory. The 20-year-old won with a lead of more than a minute in front of the Italian Annika Sieff. Westvold Hansen had already dominated last season, winning seven out of eight World Cup competitions. Armbruster was 1:29 minutes behind the seemingly overpowering athlete.
World Cups have been contested in the women’s combination since the 2020/21 season. In the summer they had experienced a great disappointment when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused the women’s combined to be included in the program of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The decision caused a lack of understanding among both women and men. That’s why the combined athletes want to advertise their sport with exciting competitions this season.