Fischer Undisputed Leader In 23-24 Nordic World Cups
This year's World Cup season came to a traditional end with the air show in Planica. The Austrian eagles Stefan Kraft and Daniel Huber completed the season adding to Fischer’s totals of four Overall globes and eight discipline World Cup globes. With 129 World Cup victories, 104 second and 99 third place finishes - which accounts for 55% of all podium places in the 23l24 World Cup - Fischer continued its position as the most successful ski, boot and binding brand for the 15th time in a row since the 09l10 season.
Biathlon: Family duel on Fischer shapes the World Cup
Johannes Thingnes Bø crowned his outstanding season in the biathlon with a hat-trick of victories in Canmore. Previously, he was the most successful athlete at the World Championships in Nove Mesto with six medals. Thanks to four consecutive victories at the season finale, the top-ranked biathlete in the world secured the Overall globe for the fifth time. Johannes finished ahead of his brother Tarjei Bø and Johannes Dale-Skjevdal (all NOR). "The World Championships were outstanding. And the hat-trick was the perfect end to a perfect season," said the happy winner. The duel between the brothers ran through all disciplines, and in the end, all the men's crystal globes from the 23l24 season are in the Bø family's trophy cabinet. While Johannes won the discipline classification for the mass start, individual race and pursuit, Tarjei won the sprint classification and commented on the family successes with a mischievous smile: "The little globe is for the big brother and the big globe is for the little brother."
In the women's race, Lou Jeanmonnot propelled herself to the top of the discipline rankings with her victory in the final Mass Start. "It's a great reward for a great season that I didn't expect. I wanted to do well this season and win medals - but a crystal globe is really cool," said the likeable Frenchwoman. She also overtook the competition in the overall World Cup rankings, securing second place at the end of the season. Her teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished fourth overall with five World Cup victories, and Switzerland's Lena Häcki-Gross finished sixth in the overall World Cup with two World Cup victories.
Nordic combined: Hagen and Riiber dominate the action
The Nordic Combined was dominated by Ida Marie Hagen and Jarl Magnus Riiber from Norway. Both finished in first or second place in every competition this season. Ida Marie Hagen entered her name in the winners' lists eight times, while Jarl Magnus Riiber celebrated 16 World Cup victories. Ida Marie Hagen made her debut as overall World Cup winner ahead of Gyda Westvold Hansen (NOR), Mari Leinan Lund (NOR), and Harua Kasai (JPN). Jarl Magnus Riiber won the Overall crystal globe for the fifth time, and it was still something very special for him: "After last season, when I had health problems, I sacrificed a lot this year to stay healthy. It was difficult because I was away from my family a lot. So this overall victory means a lot to me." Johannes Lamparter (AUT, 3rd), Joergen Graabak (NOR, 4th), and Kristjan Ilves (EST, 5th) completed the Fischer Race Family’s success in the top 5.
Cross-country skiing: Fischer sprinters are the fastest
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was once again the dominant skier in the Cross-Country World Cup. Even though he had to leave the Overall globe to his team-mate in the end due to his illness at the Tour de Ski, the exceptional Norwegian athlete still managed to win 15 World Cup events this season in both sprint and long distance events, and won the Sprint World Cup globe in addition to securing second place in the overall and distance rankings. With nine victories in eleven sprints, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo's conclusion is correspondingly positive: "The Sprint globe is always a big goal for me. I am very happy. I think it was my best sprint season so far and it was a lot of fun." His Norwegian teammate Erik Valnes also put a big exclamation mark behind his performance as the second-best sprinter and third in the overall standings. Other Fischer Race Family highlights include Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget (NOR) finishing fifth in the overall World Cup and fourth in the distance World Cup, Friedrich Moch (GER) earning sixth in the overall World Cup and distance World Cup, and Lucas Chanavat (FRA) taking in third place in the sprint World Cup rankings.
The fastest sprinters in the women's event were also on the Fischer Speedmax system: Linn Svahn (SWE) won the crystal globe in the sprint classification ahead of Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR). The successful Swede was also able to hold her own over the long distances and secured second place in the overall World Cup ahead of her training colleague Frida Karlsson and Finland's Kerttu Niskanen in fifth. The best Norwegian in the overall standings was Heidi Weng in eighth place. The Swede Ebba Andersson had to miss some competitions due to illness and ended up in 10th place in the overall World Cup and third place in the distance rankings. Ebba Andersson still contributed to the positive Fischer statistics with two World Cup victories.
Ski Jumping: Stefan Kraft dominates the World Cup, Daniel Huber outflies everyone
The best ski jumper in the past season was clearly Stefan Kraft. The Austrian celebrated thirteen World Cup victories and took the title of Ski Flying World Champion in front of his home crowd on the Kulm in Bad Mitterndorf (AUT). On the home straight in the Ski Flying World Cup final in Planica, his team and brand colleague Daniel Huber (AUT) snatched the small crystal globe from him by just three points. "The season was a success from start to finish. The ski flying world championship title was the most emotional thing in my career so far," said Stefan Kraft about his successful season. "Of course, I wanted to win the small globe as well as the big globe at the end, but it wasn't meant to be. And if anyone else gets it, it's "Hubi" (Daniel Huber). He's currently the best flyer and one of my best friends." With Jan Hörl in fourth place, another Fischer eagle from Austria secured a place in the top ten overall alongside Pius Paschke (GER, 10th). Yuki Ito (JPN) finished fourth in the women's overall World Cup ahead of Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (AUT) and Nika Kriznar (SLO) in fifth and sixth place. France's Josephine Pagnier and Katharina Schmid from Germany also made it into the top ten by finishing seventh and tenth, respectively. Close behind in eleventh place finished Silje Opseth from Norway, who made history at the ski flying event in Vikersund (NOR) with the women's ski flying world record of 230.5 meters.
Ski Classics: The tension is rising
There are still three competitions left in the Ski Classics series: Reistadløpet (April 6), Summit 2 Senja (April 7) and the Grand Finale Janteloppet (April 13). Emilie Fleten from Team Ramudden currently has a comfortable lead in the women's race ahead of Kati Roivas and Magni Smedaas, both from Team Eksjöhus. In the men's race, three athletes from Team Ragde Charge - Kasper Stadaas, Johan Hoel and Andreas Nygaard - are in the lead, with the first two currently separated by just one point. The standings will remain exciting through mid-April.
