It's a wrap for Telemark World Cup season

The Telemark World Cup finals were held in Oberjoch (Germany). The last World Cup there occurred in 2020 in the midst of the Covid crisis. And so what better way than to come back here to celebrate with the crowd the World Cup Globes with a zest of madness: a Schellen world record attempt (traditionnal alpine German bells) during the Parallel Sprint.

Thomas Orlovius (GER) said: "The World Cup finals in Oberjoch have been a long awaited highlight for the entire German team. There’s nothing better than racing in front of a home crowd and on the slopes you’ve been skiing on your entire life."

The crystal Globe can be seen as the consecration of a season. Those who have it in their hands make many other racers dream, from those who fmiss the podium to the youngest eager to compete.

Bastien Dayer (SUI) said: "The quest for the Globe is a journey that leaves traces. I understood that nothing was certain before the last race and that it is useless to make calculations."

In Telemark, the most important rule may be also this one: anything can happen during a turn even if you feel in total control. At the start in Oberjoch all Globes were up for grabs, notably between Amélie Wenger Reymond (SUI) and Martina Wyss (SUI) or between Bastien Dayer (SUI) and Elie Nabot (FRA).

Elie Nabot (FRA) said: "These three races in Germany were for me three finals because I had the opportunity to pearn three Globes. Winning a Globe is obviously a dream, it’s my ultimate goal."

The Classic: Swiss double for the Globe
The conditions were nearly perfect for the finals. The German squad was proud to welcome these finals. The Japanese were also present for the first time thisseason. And what a team with five men athletes as with Kishu Anada who left no one indifferent with his committed style (15th).

For the women, Martina Wyss (SUI) was leading for the Classic Globe before Oberjoch and won the race followed by Amélie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) and Kaja Bjoernstad Konow (NOR). Therefore Wyss won the Classic Gobe and Wenger-Reymond and Tan-Bouquet (FRA) finished respectively second and third.

For the men, it was the last classic World Cup race of Bastien Dayer’s career. All eyes were focused on Elie Nabot (FRA) who was in position to steal the Globe from the Swiss. The jump landing was technical and selective. Only Dayer and Nabot reached the line but Nabot went to the fault few gates after the start letting go any chance for the Globe. He ended 5th for the race. Trym Nygaard Loeken (NOR) won the Classic followed by Dayer and Sillon (FRA). Huge deception for Nabot and his squad despite Sillon’s top 3. With a 2nd place of the day Dayer won the Classic Globe. Nabot and Loeken finished respectively 2nd and 3rd for the Classic World Cup overall ranking.

Elie Nabot said: "I did my best season this year but unfortunately I didn't manage to get a globe. Being in contact all year long and then missing the mark on the last race hurts. It was hard to digest this setback and to remobilize for the rest of this stage. I had to try to put this failure aside to stay focused on the last two races!"

The Sprint: Dayer and Wenger-Reymond untouchable, bitter taste for the French
All the racers took pleasure during the Sprint and delivered a great fast and tecnical skiing. Wenger-Reymond and Dayer dominated the race with a smart skiing respectively. Wyss / Nabot finished second. Jasmin Taylor (GBR) finished third as for Sillon and Michel (SUI) (3rd ex-aequo for men).

Wenger-Reymond and Dayer won the Sprint Globe. Wyss / Nabot ended second and Taylor / Michel 3rd for the final Sprint World Cup ranking.

Elie Nabot said: "I did a good sprint by finishing 2nd behind Bastien who flew over the race and who pockets the Sprint Globe, no regret because I did my best that day."

No regrets for Nabot, Dayer was definitely the fastest. But a kind of a bitter taste for the French as for Melvin Rey who fell twice the day of his birthday.

The Parallel Sprint: Historic Norwegian double, Nabot eternal second
3500 spectators came in Oberjoch for the Schellen World record. 2357 bells resonated before the start of the Parallel Sprint final creating an electric and dramaturgical atmosphere around the arena.

Thomas Orlovius said: "With the Schellen world record it was for sure the wildest crowd I have raced for and the pressure was really high."

The first act fixed Amélie Wenger-Reymond’s fate for the General Globe. Indeed the Swiss telemark number one queen fell after the jump during the qualifications. No final for her.

Amélie Wenger-Reymond said: "It's such a difficult season with the serious illness of my youngest daughter which occurred during the races in Melchsee Frutt. I wanted to show myself and my daughters that I should not give up and fight until the end, and it worked for the Sprint Globe. I can only be happy about that and accept fate for the rest."

With now 45 Globes Amélie can be proud of what she accomplished in Oberjoch in the name of his family and the sport. When it’s about the « freeheel life » dedication isn’t only between the gates and nothing can beat a mother's love for her children. Amélie you’re our number one and an example for all of us.

Dayer also was at two fingers to fail during qualifications suggesting that the Globe karma would not be on the side of the Swiss for the finals.

The second act was an epic parallel sprint and we witnessed the unexpected. Dayer was defeated in the 1/8 finals and Wyss (3rd) in the 1/2 finals, any chance for the Parallel Globe definitely escaping for the Swiss. For women the final was between Argeline Tan-Bouquet and Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR) and Strom wasn’t really realizing that she was on the way for the Globe. The two ladies finished first ex-aequo. They crossed the finish line side by side with the same time and nothing manage to decide between them. Globe karma for sure.

Goril Strom Eriksen said: "I didn’t really think it would be possible for me to advance to 2nd or 1st place, just because a lot of things that were out of my control and seemed quite unlikely had to happen for me to get the Globe. In the final against Argeline it was very close and we seemingly crossed the line at the same time. After a jury discussion they decided to give the victory to both of us."

For the men, Trym Nygaard Loeken and Elie Nabot reached the final and the Globe was waiting for one.

Elie Nabot said: "I was in the final against Trym, both knowing that the winner of this run would take the Globe. I think we couldn't have dreamt of a better final to fight for a Globe! Unfortunately I lost this final and once again I missed the globe by 10 small points! "

Eternal second for Nabot but the French athletes showed all their talent as with Sillon finishing third. Olle Collberg (SWE) 4th. Special mention to the Swedish guy who also finish 4t at the Classic. He played the outsiders all along the season and was a serious challenging client especially for the Parallel Sprint races.

The third act was the double Parallel Globe karma for the Vikings. Yes Eriksen and Loeken did it and that was probably unexpected before the races started. The Norwegian grown in strength since the World Cup in Aal and finished the season in an outstanding way.

Goril Strom Eriksen said: "A special way to end the season on top of the podium with Argeline. And I had just enough points to win the PS Globe, 2 points in front of 2nd place and another 4 points to 3rd place, super close! It really goes to show how every last point in the World Cup matters and that anything can happen especially in the parallel. And feels very special that my teammate Trym also won the PS Globe for the men!"

Trym Nygaard Loeken said: "The organizers made three very well organized races as they always do. Unbelievable to win the race and catch the parallel Globe. There was only one way it could be possible, and I’m very satisfied with that I took the chance when I got it. It was a real battle with Elie in the final, a fight for the Globe until the very last run.. it can’t get more interesting than that. And if that wasn’t special enough, Gøril’s Globe…wow, incredible and very well deserved with the smallest margins I’ve seen on a Globe before."

The Parallel Sprint races were tight and delivered something epic illustrating perfectly the meaning of a Globe win and the frustrations behind when you don’t succeed.

Elie Nabot said: "I finished 2nd in all the rankings...it's frustrating because I was so close to reaching the grail. I'm disappointed but I try to be positive and tell myself that it's part of the learning process and that one day my time will come! Congratulations to Bastien who, for his last season, proved that he was still the boss! Hats off to him!"

Bastien Dayer said: "Congratulations to Trym for his globe yesterday, the rehabilitation is a long way and he deserves this reward by being on fire this end of season! A big thank you Elie for challenging the general, the competition forces to surpass oneself and thanks to him I found motivation to give the best of myself! I hope that his journey will be rewarded with Crystal soon because he deserves it! "

Dayer pictured well that without any challengers a Globe is not a Globe. All the athletes on the World Cup circuit make the Globe dream alive and we can congratulate all of them for that.

The Swiss team was amazing all along the season and deserved to win the team Globe. Wyss and Dayer won the general Globe.

We would like to thanks all the organizers, volunteers, spectators and our athletes for this memorable ending in Oberjoch.