Germany's high five after mixed team win
26. 02. 2023
The German team dominated the competition in the mixed team ski jumping event on the normal hill. This was their fifth consecutive gold medal at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships. The Norwegians won the silver medal, while Slovenia won their first medal, a bronze, at their home championship.
Challenging weather conditions, including snow and wind, shaped the course of the mixed team ski jumping competition on the normal hill in Planica. The German team showed in the first round that they were only interested in another the gold medal. The Norwegians and the host team, the Slovenians, put up a decent fight, but after all the jumps were completed, no one could match Selina Freitag, Karl Geiger, Katharina Althaus and Andreas Wellinger.
Germany secured their fifth consecutive gold medal in the mixed team event at the last five world championships. The only team to also win in this discipline is Japan.
The Slovenian Nika Križnar, Ema Klinec, Timi Zajc and Anže Lanišek, fought like lions, despite some health issues in the women's team. Every jump they made was crucial, but the last one, when Anže Lanišek was on top, was decisive in taking the lead. Although Germany and Norway were better afterwards, the performance of the Slovenian quartet was enough for a bronze medal, which has a special shine at their home championship.
Slovenia Ski Jumpers take bronz medal © BoBo
Norway's and Sweden's path to glory
The women's team sprint in cross-country ended with the victory of the Swedish duo for the third consecutive FIS Nordic Ski World Championships. Jonna Sundling, who had already won the title in Oberstdorf with Maja Dahlqvist, won her second gold medal in Planica with her new team-mate Emma Ribom. Jonna Sundling became one of the most successful athletes in this competition: "This championship was perfect for me. I am very satisfied that I am in excellent form. It was incredible to compete together with Emma. I wanted to start slower, but Emma did not save her energy."
Norwegian Anne Kjersti Kalvaa and Tiril Udnes Weng celebrated silver medals. The bronze medal was won by American's Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern.
Johannes Hoesflot Laebo won his third medal at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Planica 2023. With his second gold medal, he confirmed his status as an undisputed champion in the team sprint competition, winning his third consecutive world title with three different teammates, in Planica it was Paal Goldberg. "I think the team did an excellent job. We wanted to be in control of the race from the start. Winning means a lot to us," Klaebo confidently explained.
Francesco de Fabiani and Federico Pellegrino from Italy took second place, while Renaud Jay and Richard Jouve from France took third place.
Top Three in Cross-Country in team sprint © BoBo
Nordic Combined si perfect playground for Norwegian's
Norwegians are not giving up in the fight for medals at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Planica. In the Nordic combined mixed team competition in ski jumping on the normal hill and a 2x2.5km and 2x5km cross-country skiing race, Jens Luraas Oftebro, Ida Marie Hagen, Gyda Westvold Hansen and Jarl Magnus Riiber were unbeatable. Although they did not have a significant advantage after the jumping part, they gained it on the skiing track and beat their closest rivals, the Germans, by 47 seconds.
Matic Garbajs Slovenia © BoBo
The mixed team from Austria took third place. Slovenians in the team of Gašper Breclj, Eva Volavšek, Silva Verbič, and Matic Garbajs, took the last, eighth place.
