Ronny Ackermann

Ronny Ackermann started with cross-country skiing at the age of five but switched to Nordic Combined in 1984. For more than five years Ackermann led the German Nordic combined team back to the world’s top levels. In 2002, 2003 and 2007 he was the overall World Cup Winner, and in 2002, 2003 and 2008 won the seasonal sprint World Cup. At the 2005 World Championships in his hometown of Oberhof, Ackermann won two gold and one silver medal. He won three Olympic silver medals: 2002 in the sprint competition and team relay and in 2006 in the team relay. In 2007 Ackermann became the first Nordic combined skier to win three consecutive World Championships, all in the 15 km. He struggled early in the 2009-10 season and elected not to compete further, abandoning any chance of competing in Vancouver. During his career he won 10 medals at the World Championships, including four golds.