FIS News
Reshuffling the cards in Ramsau am Dachstein
When the Nordic Combined elite convenes for one last time in 2015 for the traditional pre-Christmas World Cup in Ramsau am Dachstein, everybody will be dealt a new hand of cards. Moving from the Scandinavian large hills in Ruka and Lillehammer to the comparatively small HS 98 normal hills in the Austrian venue usually brings the stronger skiers to the fore.
Known for its tight field after jumping and cross-country races that almost have a Mass Start character, Ramsau offers top entertainment with very tactical races and quite often sprints to the very end. Skiing in yellow will be Germany’s Fabian Rießle who had a phenomenal weekend in Lillehammer with his first-ever individual World Cup victory and a second place. While Rießle will be fully focussed om keeping the yellow bib, he is expecting some stiff competition from other fast skiers of the field: „I am sure the fast skiers will go full throttle. I am specifically watching out for Magnus Krog, Magnus Moan and Johannes Rydzek.“
While these certainly are very good guesses in terms of possible podium candidates, other candidates to watch out for are Mikko Kokslien, who claimed a second rank last year and was on the podium in team and individual events in Ramsau six times since 2012, and American Taylor Fletcher who showed impressive racing at his home Continental Cup in Utah last weekend. But also the local heroes from Austria are not to be underestimated, with two fourth ranks in Lillehammer, World Champion Berni Gruber has not been far off the podium and teammate Lukas Klapfer just tasted blood with his third rank.
So who has been naughty and who has been so nice that Santa will reward with an early Christmas present in Ramsau?
Program (local times! CET) changes in bold
Friday, 18.12.
10:00 Official training HS 98
12:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification
15:00 Official training cross-country
Saturday, 19.12.
10:30 Trial Round HS 98
11:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
15:10 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km 4x 5 km cross-country race
Sunday, 20.12.
10:00 Trial Round HS 98
11:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
15:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race
Timetable subject to change!
Quick Facts:
HILL
WM-Schanze
HS 98
TRACK
WM-Stadion
2.5 km loop
LAST YEAR’S PODIUM
TE: 1. NOR, 2. GER 3. FRA
IG: 1. Jason Lamy Chappuis (FRA), 2. Mikko Kokslien (NOR), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)
Known for its tight field after jumping and cross-country races that almost have a Mass Start character, Ramsau offers top entertainment with very tactical races and quite often sprints to the very end. Skiing in yellow will be Germany’s Fabian Rießle who had a phenomenal weekend in Lillehammer with his first-ever individual World Cup victory and a second place. While Rießle will be fully focussed om keeping the yellow bib, he is expecting some stiff competition from other fast skiers of the field: „I am sure the fast skiers will go full throttle. I am specifically watching out for Magnus Krog, Magnus Moan and Johannes Rydzek.“
While these certainly are very good guesses in terms of possible podium candidates, other candidates to watch out for are Mikko Kokslien, who claimed a second rank last year and was on the podium in team and individual events in Ramsau six times since 2012, and American Taylor Fletcher who showed impressive racing at his home Continental Cup in Utah last weekend. But also the local heroes from Austria are not to be underestimated, with two fourth ranks in Lillehammer, World Champion Berni Gruber has not been far off the podium and teammate Lukas Klapfer just tasted blood with his third rank.
So who has been naughty and who has been so nice that Santa will reward with an early Christmas present in Ramsau?
Program (local times! CET) changes in bold
Friday, 18.12.
10:00 Official training HS 98
12:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification
15:00 Official training cross-country
Saturday, 19.12.
10:30 Trial Round HS 98
11:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
15:10 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km 4x 5 km cross-country race
Sunday, 20.12.
10:00 Trial Round HS 98
11:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
15:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race
Timetable subject to change!
Quick Facts:
HILL
WM-Schanze
HS 98
TRACK
WM-Stadion
2.5 km loop
LAST YEAR’S PODIUM
TE: 1. NOR, 2. GER 3. FRA
IG: 1. Jason Lamy Chappuis (FRA), 2. Mikko Kokslien (NOR), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)
Source: fis-ski.com
