The long awaited highlight of the season is finally on our doorstep: the centenary championships in Lahti, which are held in honour of Nordic ski sports and also the 100th anniversary of host country Finland are in the starting blocks. With them, four new chances to win medals, four chances for the athletes to enter their names into the history books of the sport or even make themselves immortal in their discipline of Nordic Combined.

With 19 out of 21 won events this winter, everything else than a medal sweep would be a disappointment for Team Germany, who send their three aces Eric Frenzel, Johannes Rydzek and Fabian Rießle into the ring. While it would be the third World Champion title for Frenzel (Oslo 2011, Fiemme 2013) and the second Rydzek (Falun 2015), Fabian Rießle is still waiting for a World Championship individual gold medal. 

Reigning World Champions Johannes Rydzek (GER) and Berhard Gruber (AUT) will look to defend their respective titles from the normal and large hill and the German team is also the clear favourite to defend their team title from Falun. While whichever German duo will be on start in the Team Sprint will certainly also be a favourite, the dynamics of this event will give the chance to a good number of nations to fight for a medal. 

And last but not least, the wind has the habit of playing a role in Lahti competitions and while the Organising Committee has done their utmost to ensure fairness and equal conditions with wind nets and modernisations at the jumping hills, in the end, you also have to have the favour of Dame Fortune to claim a World Champion title. One thing is for certain: the hunt for precious metals goes into the hot phase now!

The Nordic Combined programme
(Subject to change!)

Friday, 24.02.2017
09:30 Trial Round HS 100
10:30: INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 100
13:30: INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km Cross-Country Race 

Sunday 26.02.2017
11:00 Trial Round HS 100
12:00: TEAM EVENT Competition Round HS 100
15:30: TEAM EVENT 4x 5 km Cross-Country Race 

Wednesday, 01.03.2017
11:00 Trial Round HS 130
12:00: INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 130
16:15: INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km Cross-Country Race 

Friday, 03.03.2017
15:00 Trial Round HS 130
16:00: TEAM SPRINT Competition Round HS 130
18:15: TEAM SPRINT 2x 7.5 km Cross-Country Race 

FYI: There is no Provisional Competition Round in World Championships. If a jumping event cannot be held, it will be rescheduled during the World Championship period.

You can find the full programme here.

Quick Facts:
HILL
Salpausselkä
HS 100
HS 130

TRACKS
Salpausselkä South Course (Individual events)
2,5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 99 metres
Maximum climb: 44 metres
Height Difference: 56 metres

Salpausselkä North Course (Team Event)
2,5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 97 metres
Maximum climb: 34 metres
Height Difference: 36 metres

Karpalo Sprint Course (Team Sprint)
1.5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 54 metres
Maximum climb: 25 metres
Height Difference: 22 metres

Falun 2015 Medal Winners

Ind. Gundersen NH
1. Johannes Rydzek (GER), 2. Alessandro Pittin (ITA, 3. Jason Lamy Chappuis (FRA)

Team Event
1. Germany, 2. Norway, 3. France

Ind. Gundersen LH
1. Bernhard Gruber (AUT), 2. Francois Braud (FRA), 3. Johannes Rydzek (GER)

Team Sprint
1. Lamy Chappuis/Braud (FRA), 2. Frenzel/Rydzek (GER), 3. Moan/Klemetsen (NOR)

Source: fis-ski.com