24 test jumpers were in action at Vikersundbakken on Wednesday. They prepare the ground ahead of the World Figure Skating Championships, which begins with qualifying on Thursday.
The tallest ever was 19-year-old Iver Olaussen from Byåsen IL with 234.5 metres. He had never skid jumped and flew before.
Olaussen has had two completely different experiences. On the first jump, he lost control and fell.
Problems: Iver Olaussen lost control after takeoff. Photo: NRK
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On the second jump he was shocked and was the longest of all test jumpers.
And not only that: he landed at a very respectable 234.5 meters.
That’s just 19 meters behind the world record of Stefan Kraft of Austria at 253.5 metres.
Big Problems: Iver Olaussen’s first jump on the snowboard slope has developed quite a bit. Photo: NRK
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“I’ve been looking forward to flying snowboarding for many years,” Olaussen Dagbladet told Olaussen.
– When I sat on top before the first jump, I wanted to jump madly far. I had a plan to be very hard on the ball to slow down. But I became very difficult.
External danger: Iver Olaussen recovered brilliantly and was able to run in a controlled manner. Photo: NRK
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– How did you experience the fall?
– I managed to save it well and fell to my feet. it went well.
– What about the second jump of 234.5 metres?
It was so cool to get past the ball. I thought it would be too short. But then I got out and went up and up down the hill. It was absolutely amazing and indescribable.
Olusen admits that the coach was unhappy after the first jump with a fall.
– He was silent for a while and was told that I could not jump again if I had plans to do the same.
The national team manager, Claes Brady Brathin, continued to test jumpers in a stream. About the drama with Olaussen, he says:
– It was very similar to Daniel Andre Tandy’s fall at Blanica last year. But as the road was short on the ground in Vickersund, he got off without any problem.
Watch NRK’s new mini-documentary on Tandy horror here.
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– Have no qualms about abandoning a 19-year-old on a snowboard flying slope?
– Bråthen thinks it’s the best slope to start flying snowboarding, even if it’s bigger.
The Earth is always perfectly poised and has a manageable hovering curve when things like this happen. This is the difference between Vickersund and the more dramatic slopes.
Talent: Ever Olussen is a talented jumper. Here from the National Championships in Midtstubakken last fall. Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB
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When Dagbladet asked Olussen if he thought it was a long way to reach the world record of 253.5 metres, he replied:
I think the world record can be broken quickly this weekend if the conditions are perfect. There are very nice landing conditions. The land was so amazing. I suspect someone is going to break the record now.
Bråthen answers this:
– It remains to be seen. But there is a long way to go if you want to jump over the world record now
Record holder: Stefan Kraft of Austria holds the current world record of 253.5 metres. The record was set in Vikersund on March 18, 2017. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB
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