Victory in the overall World Cup
19-year-old writes winter fairy tale
16.03.2025 – 2:36 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
On the way to the Abitur, Nathalie Armbruster is the first German to get the overall World Cup. It is a small winter fairy tale from the Black Forest.
Nathalie Armbruster wrote sports history in Oslo – and now has to press the school desk again in Freudenstadt. On Saturday, the 19-year-old crowned the first German winner of the overall World Cup in the Nordic combination. But for a long time she cannot rest on this success: From Tuesday, the Black Forest is on the plan for the Black Forest in mathematics and Spanish.
“I am happy when I also have a hook on the Abitur,” said Armbruster and made no secret of the fact that school pressure is concerned. Her sporting performance, which she had not expected herself, is all the more impressive. “Wow! What a day! I can call myself the overall World Cup winner – at the age of 19,” she said after her triumph on the legendary spar. “It is so unreal that I get the crystal ball in a year in which I didn’t expect it at all.”
The past year was challenging for crossbowers in many ways. The young athlete demanded the balance between competitive sports and preparing for her high school diploma. She also celebrated her first World Cup victory and experienced disappointments like at the World Cup in Trondheim, where she took seventh place twice. In addition, there were concerns about the future of the Nordic combination, which should not be in the Olympic program for women in 2026. There were also changes in her private life: Armbruster recently made her relationship with the Swiss combiner Nico Zarucchi public.
The 19-year-old was noticed for the tension of these intensive months. Just two weeks before her big triumph, she was crying at the ski jump in Trondheim. The relief after her victory in Oslo was all the greater. “I fell off a barrel load here. I didn’t even know that I was wearing such a load,” said Armbruster.
With their success, crossbowers are involved in a prominent list of German combiners: In front of her only Hermann Weinbuch, Ronny Ackermann and Eric Frenzel won the overall World Cup.
But she can only celebrate her triumph in summer. “Now with the Abitur there is a time for me, which will be as demanding as the winter,” said Armbruster. In history she no longer has to shine – her performance courses are math, sports and Spanish.