According to an article written for the New York Times by Victor Mather, Nordic Combined is a sport in the Nordic events category, "...specifically defined as [events] in which athletes’ heels are not affixed to the skis." Both Nordic events consist of ski jumping and cross country skiing, which, when put together, form Nordic Combined. 

​

Mather writes "Skiers start by taking two ski jumps, scoring points for distance and style. Next up is a 10-kilometer cross-country race. Competitors start based on their performance in the ski jumping: The best ski jumper takes off first, then the others follow in staggered fashion. The first skier across the line wins.

​

"Three gold medals are awarded in Nordic combined. There is an individual event on the large ski jumping hill and another on the smaller, “normal” hill. There is also a team event in which four athletes jump, then participate in a cross-country relay. Nordic combined is a men’s only event at the Olympics."

​

Nordic combined is still currently a men's only event at the Olympics, but female Nordic combined athletes like Annika Malacinski are working hard and making historic steps towards eventually being allowed to compete as Nordic combined athletes in the Olympic games. 

 

The first women's Nordic combined World Cup is set to take place on December 18th in Austria and will be a historic moment for female Nordic combined athletes across the world.

​

https://www.usanordic.org

​

​