Nathalie Armbruster Storms to Podium Finish

Nathalie Armbruster Storms to Podium Finish

Nathalie Armbruster delivered an impressive performance in Lillehammer, showcasing her exceptional skills in the Nordic combined discipline. The 18-year-old, who was the vice-world champion in the combined event, managed to improve her position significantly, starting from eighth place after the jumping segment and finishing in second place.

Armbruster's strong racing allowed her to stay competitive, even finishing just behind the dominant Norwegian athlete Ida Marie Hagen, who celebrated her sixth consecutive victory in the World Cup series.

"It feels amazing; I’m just so happy. I felt so strong today," said Armbruster, who is juggling her athletic career with academic pressures as she is also in her final year of high school.

This marks Armbruster’s eleventh career podium finish and her third time finishing in second place. She was 51.1 seconds behind the leading Hagen after completing the ski jumping and 5 kilometers in the race.

The overall performance from the German female Nordic combined team was commendable, as they had five athletes ranked among the top eight halfway through the competition. However, Armbruster currently stands out as the only one maintaining a high performance level in the cross-country segment.

A Competitive Field

Third place in the race went to the reigning world champion Gyda Westvold Hansen from Norway, who had a less impressive jumping performance but still managed to secure a podium finish. Hagen's victory also continues Norway's impressive dominance in the sport with 28 consecutive wins since March 2022.

Another strong competitor, Jenny Nowak, finished as the second best German in ninth place, while Maria Gerboth, who led after the jump, finished in twelfth.

This race underlined the competitiveness and excitement of the Nordic combined circuit as it moves into the season.

Nathalie Armbruster's breakthrough podium finish serves not only as recognition of her talent but also sets a promising tone for the upcoming competitions in this World Cup season.