First Ruka Nordic day done in Nordic Combined - Johannes Lamparter takes the lead in FIS World Cup

First Nordic Combined FIS World Cup day was wrapped with the individual compact race. The final push of the German top skier Julian Schmid was not enough to win, but resulted in second place. Austria’s Johannes Lamparter took the 19th victory of his World Cup career, as expected, and has now been seen on the podium 52 times. Ilkka Herola, who started 22 seconds after Lamparter, skied third, 17 seconds behind the winner. 

Johannes Lamparter and Thomas Rettenegger led from the start until Lamparter passed Rettenegger at about 2.5 kilometers. Retteneger ended up being 7th after starting the race because of a great ski jumping part. 

Estonian Kristjan Ilves started 40 seconds off the lead in 11th place, and skied himself into fourth. Jens Luraas Oftebro, who had been tipped high in the preliminaries, skied to the finish in fifth, 50 seconds behind.

Friday was as expected even. Vinzenz Geiger’s withdrawal from the first two World Cup events, and Jarl Magnus Riiber’s retirement left big gaps at the top of the Nordic Combined standings. The signs seem to be that Johannes Lamparter has officially come to show the Nordic Combineb world who he is. 

On Saturday 29.11 it’s ski jumping time again first at 11:15 AM if the weather allows. The skiing will be done with the Gundersen start at 3:35 PM. 

Text: Konsta Mervelä
Photo: Toivo Laiho