Nordic Combined Rules, Scoring & Competition Format — A Complete Guide

The basics

After the ski jump, points are converted to time gaps for the cross-country race. Each point equals roughly 4 seconds of starting deficit. The first skier across the finish line wins gold — no math required at the end.

Two Sports, One Medal: How Nordic Combined Rules Work at the Winter Olympics

Nordic combined is one of the original Winter Olympic sports — present since the very first Winter Games in 1924 — yet it remains one of the least understood. The concept is straightforward: compete in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, then combine the results. The execution, however, involves one of sports’ most elegant mathematical conversions: turning jumping points into time gaps. Governed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), Nordic combined rewards the athlete who is best across both disciplines.

Olympic Events

Nordic combined currently features three Olympic events, all for men only (women’s Nordic combined was added to the program starting with the 2026 Milano Cortina Games):

  • Individual Normal Hill / 10 km — jumping from the normal hill (HS 105–110), followed by a 10 km cross-country race.
  • Individual Large Hill / 10 km — jumping from the large hill (HS 130–140), followed by a 10 km cross-country race.
  • Team Large Hill / 4 × 5 km Relay — four athletes per team each jump once, with team scores combined. The relay follows as a 4 × 5 km cross-country race.

The Gundersen Method

The magic of Nordic combined is the Gundersen format, named after Norwegian skier Gunder Gundersen:

  1. Athletes first compete in ski jumping (one or two jumps, depending on the event).
  2. Jumping scores are converted into time differences using a standardized formula.
  3. The jumping winner starts the cross-country race first; all other athletes start behind, with their time gaps corresponding to their points deficit.
  4. The first skier to cross the finish line wins.

The conversion rate for individual events is: 1 point = 4 seconds. So if Athlete A scores 130 points in jumping and Athlete B scores 120 points, Athlete B starts the cross-country race 40 seconds behind Athlete A.

This format creates thrilling finishes, since the entire competition resolves at the cross-country finish line. At Beijing 2022, Vinzenz Geiger of Germany overcame a 1:26 deficit from the jump to win the individual normal hill gold — one of the greatest comebacks in Nordic combined history.

Ski Jumping Component

The jumping portion follows standard FIS ski jumping rules (see ski jumping section), with judges scoring distance and style. Five judges award style points from 0 to 20, with the highest and lowest dropped. Distance points are calculated relative to the hill’s K-point.

However, Nordic combined jumpers tend to be slightly heavier and less aerodynamically specialized than pure ski jumpers, since they also need the muscle and endurance for cross-country skiing. This creates a different tactical calculus: a great jumper who’s a poor skier may build a lead that evaporates on the track.

Cross-Country Component

The cross-country race uses free technique (skating) on a FIS-certified course. The staggered start means athletes can draft off those ahead of them, adding a tactical dimension. A strong skier who was mediocre in jumping will charge through the field, often catching athletes in the final kilometers.

Team Event

In the team relay, each of the four jumpers takes one jump. Their scores are summed, and the team totals are converted into time gaps using the same 1 point = 4 seconds formula. The relay then proceeds as a standard 4 × 5 km cross-country relay with staggered starts.

Equipment Rules

Nordic combined athletes use different equipment for each phase: jumping skis and suits for the hill, cross-country skis and suits for the race. The transition between phases includes time to change equipment. All equipment must meet FIS specifications for the respective discipline.

Historical Dominance and the Gender Question

Norway, Germany, Austria, and Japan have historically dominated Nordic combined. The sport was men-only for its entire Olympic history through 2022, drawing criticism. The IOC added women’s Nordic combined events starting with the 2026 Games, a long-overdue step toward equity.

Rules topics

Common confusion

How are jumping points converted into time for the cross-country start?
The conversion rate is 1 point = 4 seconds in individual events. If the jumping winner scores 135 points and you score 125 points, your 10-point deficit means you start the cross-country race 40 seconds behind the leader. In team events, the same rate applies to the combined team jumping scores.
Does the first person across the finish line actually win?
Yes, that's the beauty of the Gundersen method. Because the cross-country start times are staggered based on jumping results, the competition is resolved in real time — no calculations needed after the race. Whoever crosses the line first has the best combined performance. This makes for dramatic, easy-to-follow finishes.
Why was Nordic combined men-only for so long?
Nordic combined has been a men's-only Olympic event since 1924, making it one of the last gender-segregated sports at the Games. The primary reason was limited participation — women's Nordic combined had fewer competitors and less international development. The IOC required a sufficient number of nations competing at the world level before adding women's events. Women's Nordic combined was finally added to the Olympic program for 2026 Milano Cortina.
Can a poor jumper still win if they're an amazing skier?
Absolutely. The Gundersen format means a deficit from jumping translates to a time gap, but a superb cross-country performance can overcome even a significant gap. Vinzenz Geiger proved this at Beijing 2022, starting 1:26 behind the jumping leader and skiing through the field to win gold. However, there's a practical limit — being too far back means you can't draft off the leaders, making the catch exponentially harder.
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