The sixth Nordic Combined Triple is on this weekend in Chaux-Neuve (FRA), held for the first time outside of Seefeld (AUT) due to the Nordic Skiing World Championships being held there later this year. The schedule:
● 18 January: Gundersen 118 m hill and 5.0 km race
● 19 January: Gundersen 118 m hill and 10.0 km race
● 20 January: Gundersen 118 m hill and 15.0 km race
Last season saw a sweep of all three events – held in Seefeld (AUT) by Japan’s Akito Watabe, who went on to be the seasonal World Cup champion.
In fact, of the five editions of the Triple, one competitor has swept all of the events four times. Germany’s Eric Frenzel, who won the first four Nordic Triples, swept the races in 2014-15-16.
This year’s Triple starts with Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber as the star, having won six of the 10 races held so far. The current standings:
1. 730 Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR)
2. 581 Johannes Rydzek (GER) ~ 2017 World Champion and 2018 Olympic gold medalist
3. 462 Akito Watabe (JPN) ~ 2017-18 World Cup Champion
4. 423 Mario Seidl (AUT)
5. 408 Vinzenz Geiger (GER)
Riiber did well in last season’s Triple, finishing second in the 5 km and 15 km races and third in the 10 km race.
Look for results here.