JWSC: Mixed Team gold for Germany

The Nordic Combined Mixed Team event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lake Placid (USA) took place on Saturday evening instead of the originally scheduled Sunday due to a heavy storm warning. This schedule change meant that athletes had to compete in both the Individual Gundersen competitions and the Mixed Team event on the same day, adding an extra challenge to the competition.

Germany dominates the jumping round

Team Germany set the pace in the jumping round on the MacKenzie Intervale HS100 hill, delivering an impressive combined performance. Richard Stenzel led the charge with a 95.5-meter jump, followed by Ronja Loh (93.5 m), Jonathan Graebert (89.5 m), and Trine Goepfert (86.5 m). Their collective efforts earned them a total of 438.4 points, giving them the advantage heading into the cross-country race.

Slovenia secured second place after the jumping round with strong performances from Teja Pavec (88 m), Lovro Percl Serucnik (88 m), Masa Likozar Brankovic (84 m), and Urban Zajec (80.5 m), totaling 392.7 points. This result meant they started the race 46 seconds behind Germany.

Austria rounded out the top three, with Paul Walcher (93.5 m), Andreas Gfrerer (89 m), Katharina Gruber (79.5 m), and Anna-Sophia Gredler (75.5 m) accumulating 380.7 points, setting them back 58 seconds from the leaders.

Germany secures victory in the cross-country race

In the cross-country segment, the men skied 5 km while the women covered 2.5 km each, amounting to a total of 15 km. Team Germany showcased remarkable consistency and teamwork, maintaining their lead throughout the race. Richard Stenzel brought home the gold, crossing the finish line first to secure the World Championship title for Germany.

Austria’s Paul Walcher put in a determined effort, propelling his team to the silver medal with a finish 25.6 seconds behind Germany.

Meanwhile, Team Japan made an impressive comeback in the cross-country leg, surging ahead of Slovenia to claim the bronze medal. Kaisei Mori finished 38.3 seconds after the German winners, ensuring Japan’s place on the podium.

Final Standings:

1.     Germany
(Jonathan Graebert, Ronja Loh, Trine Goepfert, Richard Stenzel)

2.     Austria
(Andreas Gfrerer, Katharina Gruber, Anna-Sophia Gredler, Paul Walcher)

3.     Japan
(Atsushi Narita, Hazuki Ikeda, Yuzuka Fujiwara, Kaisei Mori)

With a commanding performance both on the hill and on the track, Team Germany’s triumph in Lake Placid adds another chapter to their storied history in Nordic Combined.

The Marc Hodler Trophy for the most successful team went to Austria.