Nordic World Ski Championships

Men’s combined team on large hill from 12 noon

The silver winners from left to right: Franz-Josef Rehrl, Johannes Lamparter, Martin Fritz and Fabio Obermeyr

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Austria's combined athletes won the silver medal in the team competition at the Nordic World Championships in Trondheim, but also benefited from the disqualification of a Norwegian athlete after the jumping event! 

The ÖSV quartet with Johannes Lamparter, Franz-Josef Rehrl, Martin Fritz and Fabio Obermeyr therefore inherited the victory after the ski jumping on Friday and only had to admit defeat to Germany in the cross-country race over 4 x 5 km. Bronze went to favorite Norway.

"It was a really great day. We all did a great job today, I'm really happy about my first silver," said the 23-year-old Lamparter after winning his eighth World Championship medal. "A silver is of course amazing. We don't need to cry after the gold medal, the Germans were simply better," emphasized Rehrl, who also took silver for the first time after four World Championship bronze medals.

"The fact that we can keep up so well with Germany is something we've worked really hard for," added Fritz with satisfaction. Obermeyr finished just 6.8 seconds behind gold. "It hurts a bit because I realized that we weren't missing much. We had really good skis. The fact that I can now be vice world champion as the final skier is huge, it's awesome," said the World Championship debutant jubilantly.

It was a dream come true that we could compete for gold," said head coach Christoph Bieler. "They did a very cool job. We can be happy and proud of the lads." Obermeyr received special praise from the coach. "Fabio was outstanding for me. That was his first appearance and being the final skater is not an easy job." He pushed Geiger hard and gave it a go, praised Bieler.

Bindung cost Norway a chance at gold
For Austria, it was the seventh medal at the championships in Norway, while Germany celebrated their first gold in Trondheim. However, the clearly favored hosts (+1:39.8 min.) missed out on the team title for the first time since 2017. The team around star Jarl Magnus Riiber had to start the race 1:42 minutes behind because Jörgen Graabak's binding did not comply with the rules and his jump was therefore not counted. The red-white-red combined team, who only had to concede defeat shortly before the end in an exciting race with plenty of lead time in the battle for gold, were able to celebrate their fifth consecutive team gold medal at the World Championships. The last time they won bronze was behind Norway and Germany.

After the large hill competition, the Austrians were originally 20 seconds behind the Norwegians and therefore went on the attack with Lamparter at the start. After the disqualification of Graabak, the motto was to extend their lead over the rest of the competition together with the German Johannes Rydzek, who started two seconds behind. Rydzek managed to do just that, crashing on the last downhill shortly before the first handover and losing 12.9 seconds. The Norwegian starting skier Simen Tiller handed over 2:10.3 minutes behind.

Duel between Austria and Germany
Rehrl held the lead against Wendelin Thannheimer, with the Norwegians trailing at a respectful distance until the end. Then Germany sent Julian Schmid and Vinzenz Geiger, the strong overall World Cup third and second, into the race. Schmid quickly caught up with Fritz and took 6.6 seconds off the Styrian. Obermeyr, who had been nominated because of his strong cross-country form, caught up with Geiger again and also took the lead. In the finish, however, the strong sprinter Geiger had more energy and pulled away decisively on the last climb.

The competition had been postponed by one day due to the heavy storm in Trondheim on Thursday. On Saturday, the World Championships in Norway will end for the combined athletes with an individual competition, also from the large hill. Stefan Rettenegger, who struggled with his jumping form in Trondheim, will replace Fritz in the ÖSV team. 

Riiber aims for eleventh World Championship gold
Top favorite Riiber is aiming for his eleventh World Championship gold in his last competition at a major event before the end of his career, in Friday's jumping the competition was at least within striking distance. "Riiber crushed the competition in the training sessions and in the trial jump. In the competition, we saw that he also only boils with water," said Bieler, who has high hopes for Lamparter and Rehrl. "We have athletes who can be among the front runners with good jumps. It won't be a big field fighting for the medals, seven to eight people," he emphasized.