Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics
Governing body	FIS
Events	3 (men)
Games
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Medalists

Nordic combined events have been a part of the Winter Olympic Games since the very first Winter Games in 1924. This exciting sport combines two different winter activities: cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

At first, athletes would do an 18 km cross-country ski race, followed by ski jumping. The person who earned the most points from both parts won the event.

History of Nordic Combined at the Olympics

Over the years, the rules and styles of Nordic combined have changed. At the 1952 Winter Olympics, the order of events was switched. Ski jumping happened first, then the 18 km cross-country skiing. The cross-country skiing distance was made shorter, to 15 km, at the 1956 Winter Olympics.

Ski jumping styles also changed a lot. After World War I, the Kongsberger technique was popular. In the 1950s, the Daescher technique was used. Today, most ski jumpers use the V-style, which became popular from 1985 onwards.

The way cross-country skiing was done also changed. From 1985, all competitions switched from the classical style to the freestyle technique. At the 1988 Winter Olympics, a new system called the Gundersen method was introduced. This meant the 15 km cross-country race changed from a time trial (where athletes start at different times) to a pursuit race. In a pursuit race, athletes start based on their ski jumping scores, and the first person to cross the finish line wins!

A team event was added at the 1988 Winter Olympics. This involved a 3 x 10 km cross-country relay race. Later, at the 1998 Winter Olympics, it changed to the current 4 x 5 km cross-country relay. A shorter 7.5 km sprint event was also added at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

For a long time, Nordic combined was only for men. However, in November 2016, it was decided that women's competitions would be added to the Olympic Winter Games in 2022. This was a big step for the sport!

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, some events changed again. The 15 km Individual Gundersen event was replaced by a 10 km individual normal hill event. This new event includes one jump from the normal hill, followed by 10 km of cross-country skiing using the Gundersen system. The 7.5 km sprint was also replaced by a 10 km individual large hill event.

Olympic Events Over Time

Nordic combined has seen different events over the years. Here's a look at the main ones:

• 18 km individual normal hill: This was the original event, held from 1924 to 1952.
• 15 km individual normal hill: This event replaced the 18 km one in 1956 and was held until 2006.
• 10 km individual normal hill: This event started in 2010 and is still part of the Olympics today.
• Team large hill: The team relay event began in 1988 and is still a key part of the competition.
• 10 km individual large hill: This event was introduced in 2010.
• 7.5 km sprint large hill: This shorter sprint event was only held in 2002 and 2006.

Medal Winners in Nordic Combined

This table shows which countries have won the most medals in Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics. The numbers are correct as of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Norway (NOR)	15	12	8	35
2	Germany (GER)	6	6	4	16
3	Finland (FIN)	4	8	2	14
4	Austria (AUT)	3	2	11	16
5	East Germany (GDR)	3	0	4	7
6	Japan (JPN)	2	3	2	7
7	France (FRA)	2	1	1	4
8	West Germany (FRG)	2	1	0	3
9	United States (USA)	1	3	0	4
10	Switzerland (SUI)	1	2	1	4
11	United Team of Germany (EUA)	1	0	1	2
12	Soviet Union (URS)	0	1	2	3
13	Sweden (SWE)	0	1	1	2
14	Italy (ITA)	0	0	1	1
	Poland (POL)	0	0	1	1
	Russia (RUS)	0	0	1	1
Totals (16 entries)		40	40	40	120

See also

In Spanish: Combinada nórdica en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños