Individual, Men

A record entry of 51 skiers from 16 countries started in the first event of the Nordic Combined, the 18 km. cross country. Norway had an outstanding Winter Olympic record in this event, winning all the medals at the three previous games, and all members of their quartet in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, headed by double world champion Oddbjørn Hagen, was especially strong in cross country. The Norwegians placed 1-2-3-6 in the 18 km. with Hagen in a clear lead, over 2 minutes ahead of Olaf Hoffsbakken and 3:36 ahead of the best non-Norwegian, František Šimůnek from Czechoslovakia in 4th place. However, at the 1935 World Championships, the Finn Lauri Valonen had taken 2nd place and the German Willy Bogner was 3rd in front of two Norwegians, due to good jumping results. In spite of moderate jumping results, the Norwegians once again claimed all the medals in Garmisch. Hagen and Hoffsbakken jumped safely and won the gold and silver easily by a clear margin. Sverre Brodahl was in trouble after a bad first jump measuring only 40 m., but was able to keep the winner of the ski jump Valonen behind in the fight for the bronze medal. Valonen had the best jumps in both rounds with 52 and 54.5 m., advancing from 26th place in the cross country to 4th place overall. The surprise man from the cross country part, Šimůnek, was able to stay ahead of the fourth Norwegian, Bernt Østerkløft, by only 0.5 points, ending 5th.

Oddbjørn Hagen ended his international skiing career in an impressive way, taking his third championship gold in a row. Germany had the second best jumper in the competition, but Toni Eisgruber was a mediocre cross country skier and ended as 23rd in the overall standings. Bogner’s 12th place was a disappointment for the Germans. Gustl Berauer, representing Czechoslovakia, ended up as 14th. He was a Sudeten-German, and after the German occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938, Berauer competed for Germany and became world champion in Nordic Combined at Zakopane in 1939.