Ten years of Summer Grand Prix in Oberwiesenthal

The summer of 2019 will mark the 10th anniversary of Summer Grand Prix competition in the German venue of Oberwiesenthal. Also this year, Oberwiesenthal will mark the beginning of the summer tour and as last year, it will be men and ladies on start.

Ten years ago, on the 13th of August 2010, the podium consisted of three grand names of the Nordic Combined sport Magnus Moan (NOR), Johannes Rydzek (GER) and Eric Frenzel (GER). While Moan might visit the anniversary event in his new function as sponsoring and team manager for the Norwegian ladies’ team, Eric Frenzel and Johannes Rydzek are still poised to return to the podium.

While some things remain the same, like the big spectator crowds expected and a fantastic programme of side events, some things will change.

Due to the difficult road conditions in the downtown area, the cross-country track has been adapted. The main area with start, finish and the stage will be location at the open air stage at the ski slope. The course will lead via the Vieren- and Hüttenstraße to the Bahnhofs- and Poststraße and back to the starting location. A detailed track map and track profile are currently being worked on.

If the Nordic Combined Committee and FIS Council approve at their next meetings at the end of May, Oberwiesenthal will host another premiere: the first-ever Mixed Team Event in Nordic Combined’s long history might take place on Saturday, August 24. The evening will conclude with a World Cup party and different bands playing.

On Sunday, the participants of the biking race “Vier Hübel Tour” are set to start from the hill outrun, connecting the two big sporting events for the first time. WSC Erzgebirge Oberwiesenthal President Heike Smolinski: “By appointing us to host this event again, FIS is not only showing that it is satisfied with how we hosted the event in the last years. Oberwiesenthal is also a venue where new ideas are tested and premieres held. We are proud to be able to host such an important weekend and looking forward to the weekend. We are also looking forward to designing a double event together with the Oberwiesenthaler Sportverein, host of the “Vier Hübel Tour”.”

After Oberwiesenthal, the Summer Grand Prix 2019 will continue to Klingenthal, Oberhof, a venue in Austria and Planica (SLO). WSC Erzgebirge Oberwiesenthal CEO Christian Freitag and Alexander Ziron, his counterpart in Klingenthal have already started discussion a common marketing strategy of the two Saxon events.