2011 Nordic World Ski Championships Oslo

Even the DSV Eagles, who struggled at the start of the season, are determined to play a major role in the medal race in ski jumping at the 2011 Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo. Severin Freund is considered the strongest contender, having attracted attention in recent weeks with outstanding performances and top finishes, including a World Cup victory. The DSV should at least have a shot at a medal in the team event, although the favorites are, as is almost traditional, from Austria. The balance of power is somewhat different in cross-country skiing, a winter sport discipline dominated by the Scandinavian nations of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Among German-speaking countries, hopes in the individual events rest above all on Switzerland’s Dario Cologna. But Tobias Angerer, Franz Göring, Axel Teichmann and Tim Tscharnke in the men’s events, as well as Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle in the women’s, could also spring a surprise in cross-country skiing.

The sporting events at the 2011 Ski World Championships in Norway begin today, Wednesday, with the cross-country skiing qualification at noon, several hours before the official opening ceremony at Oslo’s Holmenkollen ski stadium, scheduled for 6 p.m. The first medals will be awarded in the cross-country sprint tomorrow, Thursday, from 3 p.m. In the women’s ski jumping, the second medal event of the 2011 Ski World Championships in Norway, to be held at Oslo’s Holmenkollen on Friday, Germany’s Melanie Faißt is among the leading contenders.