Estonian Nordic combined athlete Kristjan Ilves secured the 12th position in the latest World Cup event held in Kulm, Austria. He achieved a jump of 192 meters, earning 171.3 points, but started the cross-country skiing leg 48 seconds behind the leader. During the 7.5 km race, he managed to improve his standing by three places but expressed dissatisfaction with his overall performance, particularly regarding his jumping technique.

Ilves reflected on his difficulties with the hill's rhythm, take-off, and push, indicating that he struggled to launch correctly from the take-off position. He noted that while he did surpass the 200-meter mark, which was his minimum objective, he found that a jump of 220 meters would have provided a more exhilarating experience. His comments highlighted the challenges he faced in perfecting his technique during the jump, which ultimately affected his overall performance.

Despite the hurdles in his jumping, Ilves reported feeling comfortable during the cross-country segment. However, he faced the additional challenge of pursuing a group of competitors alone over two laps on a smooth track. Though he managed to catch them, he was unable to sustain the pace until the end of the race. His mixed feelings reflect both the highs and lows of competitive skiing, where precision and technique play a crucial role in athlete performance.