Nordic combined

Throughout Norway in the 1800s, skiers gathered each winter for a series of ski carnivals consisting of small athletic competitions combined with some entertainment.

Considered the best of all the carnival athletes, a small group specialized in both cross-country skiing, demanding endurance and strength, and ski jumping, requiring physical strength and technical control.

Men have competed in Nordic combined individual events since the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The team event was introduced at the Calgary 1988 Winter Games, while the sprint event joined the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games in 2002.

How It Works

The jumping portion occurs first followed by a free technique cross-country race. The break between the jumping and the cross-country race can be as little as 35 minutes, or as long as a few hours.

Known as a “Gundersen” or pursuit start, the jumping results generate the starting seed for the cross-country race that follows, with the second and remaining athletes beginning seconds or even minutes after the best jumper. Using pack-racing strategies, the athletes cluster into “trains” that chase down other athlete trains. The winner of the Nordic combined event is the first athlete across the cross-country finish line.

Individual Normal Hill Event

Competitors begin with one ski jump on the normal hill, followed by a 10-kilometre cross-country ski race which usually consists of four, 2.5 kilometre laps. The first skier across the finish line is the winner.

Individual Large Hill Event

Competitors begin with one ski jump on the large hill, followed by a 10-kilometre cross-country ski race which usually consists of four, 2.5 kilometre laps. The first skier across the finish line is the winner.

Team Event

A Nordic combined team is made up of four athletes. Each competitor jumps once on the large hill. The team results are added together and the team with the highest aggregate score starts first in the cross-country ski portion. The cross-country ski is a relay where each team member skis 5 kilometres. The team with the first skier across the finish line wins.