In Montafon

Nordic combined athletes get started with summer GP

Thomas Rettenegger (left) in training with Martin Fritz.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

All clear for the Nordic combined athletes. After numerous training blocks, things get serious for Rettenegger and Co. at the Summer Grand Prix in Tschagguns. Johannes Lamparter is missing. There will be a world premiere in Oberstdorf next week.

After several training blocks, things are getting serious again for Salzburg's Nordic combined athletes. From Friday, the brothers Thomas and Stefan Rettenegger and Severin Reiter will be competing at the Summer Grand Prix in Tschagguns. The Austrian Ski Association will be represented by a total of twelve men and six women. Tyrolean Johannes Lamparter (knee problems) is missing, as is Claudia Purker from Pongau, who has to take a break after tearing her meniscus. According to women's coach Willi Denifl, the competitions are still too early for her.

Men's head coach Christoph Bieler is excited: "We are competing in the Summer Grand Prix out of training and have not prepared for it in particular. It's a great opportunity to test ourselves against the other nations and see whether the training is working as planned." A mixed competition and an individual competition from the normal hill are scheduled in Tschagguns.

The action continues in Oberstdorf (Germany), where fans can look forward to a world premiere on Wednesday, August 28. For the first time, the Nordic combined athletes will venture off the large hill with a hill size of 137 meters. The Individual Compact race for men and women will be rounded off with the legendary Nightrace, which will be held under floodlights in the center of Oberstdorf. "It may be that the athletes are still a little tired from training and therefore certainly not in the best condition for the Summer Grand Prix. Nevertheless, we want to present ourselves strongly and fight at the front," says Bieler, clearly setting the direction.