Nathalie Armbruster starts at the Nordic Ski World Cup in Trondheim as a World Cup leader and favorite-she took sixth place in the first competition. We met her in front of the World Cup.
While huge wheel loaders drive large barrier grids across the paths on which roll split and mud already mix, the last windows are hectically cleaned not far from the ski jump and adorned with Norwegian flags, Nathalie Armbruster lets her eyes wander through the empty stadium and radiate. The Nordic Ski World Cup in Trondheim-it is something very special for the 19-year-old Nordic combined man. “I’m just looking forward to the atmosphere here because I think that it will be unique,” says Armbruster in an interview with SWR Sport. “The people here in Norway are completely ski -crazy and I hope some will look at our competitions.”
Sixth in the first competition
In the meantime (February 27th) the first competition of the World Cup has ended. After the 5-kilometer cross-country skiing, Nathalie Armbruster went on the hill with a 4.2 second behind Gyda Westvold Hansen. In the end, 89 meters were only enough for sixth place. The Japanese woman Yuna Kasai became world champion. Jenny Nowak ran and jumped in fifth place as the best German.
Anticipation for fans and family
The anticipation for the special atmosphere, the tingling and maybe even the tension – all of this accompanies crossbowers and their teammates long before the first start. After all, before the first decisions are sold for the World Cup on Thursday, 200,000 tickets – some of them also in the northern Black Forest, in Armbruster’s homeland Freudenstadt. “My family is there, my friend, my home trainer, my best buddy,” she lists. “I also have the support.”
The then 17-year-old had already at her first World Cup-friends and family in Slovenia two years ago in Planica, had equipped herself with trots and posters, painted black-red-gold flags on her cheeks. According to the crossbow’s surprising silver medal, the color mixed with tears of joy.
Family and friends as support
The combined person means a lot that their parents accompany them on their way and were also at their side in this first major World Cup moment. “I’m a family man,” says Armbruster, emphatically. “My parents are my biggest support.” The fact that they are also on the route and hill in Trondheim makes a difference for the 19-year-old. “It just gives me a stop.”
This also radiates crossbowers, as if this security is that the family, as an anchor, is always there, the backing is always given, deeply rooted in it. When crossbowers speaks about the people who mean so much for her, she has to smile almost involuntarily. “The past two years have been totally crazy – what happened there. Of course it did something with me,” she reveals.
With concerns about the future?
Two years since Planica, two years, in which Armbruster has developed from the surprise athlete to the Hope of the Nordic combineds. “Sometimes there are moments when I look at pictures or scroll through my Instagram profile and think: madness.” But even for that, she actually doesn’t have time. Because crossbowers are fighting – and not only for their own career, their sporting success, but also with teammates and combined people from other nations also for the future of the sport.
It is already clear: they are not there at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The premiere at the Olympics must wait. It is not yet clear whether they will be in France in 2030. While those responsible would rather spare this topic shortly before the start of the World Cup in Trondheim, the athletes’ concerns are almost tangible in many conversations. “If the IOC should take the basis of the Olympics, we are faced with a situation where we don’t know what comes,” says Armbruster.
Anticipation instead of pressure
Because – the sport, but also the athletes, need the Olympics stage. It is about visibility, but also funding, young talent work and in the distant future also about equal opportunities. “As a young athlete, you are thinking of your thoughts,” reveals the 19-year-old. She chooses her words carefully – is reflected in the conversation and yet gives many personal insights.
The pressure, he is now another two years after Planica in Trondheim – and not only because the crossbow and her fellow campaigners also want to advertise at the World Cup for the Nordic combination. The first German celebrated a World Cup victory, the Seefeld triple, leads the overall ranking and is therefore a favorite. “It is not easy to deal with this pressure,” she reveals. So she has a plan: “I decided that I am looking forward to the major event, this week and the moments. That I ignore the pressure and take more anticipation.”
Athlete between everyday life and Abitur
This is exactly how she went into the current season, in which the Abitur, far from the World Cup weekends and World Cup, far from the cross-country ski run, is also due. That is why crossbow’s everyday life is all too often a puzzle from training and appointments, school and sport. The 19-year-old even surprises a little that she can do this-and the preparation for the important exams also works.
“She is often a passenger with me. It doesn’t take three minutes to get the iPad out and learn something,” says national coach Florian Aichinger and praises the interaction of those responsible in competitive sports and school operations. “And then she tries to learn something in 20 minutes. That is enormous. “
Not the Favorite hill, but Medal hope
Perhaps that’s why crossbowers seem to focus again, as soon as they arrive in Trondheim. “This is not my favorite hill,” she says after the first training jumps. “It’s just a matter of feeling.” With its classification, crossbowers could increase, but ensures a kind of expectation management before the first medal decision. Until then, the last grids will be set up and the windows are cleaned with a view of the ski jump – Nathalie Armbruster is looking forward to it.
Prize on Thursday, 27.2.2025 6:00 a.m., SWR Current in the morning, SWR Aktuell
