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WINNING DUO: Daniel André Tande (left) was allowed to take the podium alongside Halvor Egner Granerud in Germany. Photo: Philipp von Ditfurth / dpa
With the victory at Titisee-Neustadt, Halvor Egner Granerud is one World Cup winner away from breaking Roar Ljøkelsøy’s record.
– I haven’t heard from him. It is a natural goal to have for the rest of the season to finish the all-time season, at least considering the number of victories, Halvor Egner Granerud tells VG in the post-race digital press conference.
On Sunday he achieved his sixth World Cup victory of the season, meaning he is just one win away from copying Roar Ljøkelsøy’s seven in the record 2003/04 season.
– I think I wouldn’t have felt too safe if it was Ljøkelsøy if he sets that record, says Granerud.
On Sunday he took the podium with his teammate Daniel André Tande, who finished second.
– If you continue on that track here, there should be no problem. The way he jumps is incredibly good and I think “Ljøken” must be beaten, says Tande.
WINNING MONTH: Halvor Egner Granerud returned to the winning track on Sunday. Photo: RONALD WITTEK / EPA
If Halvor Egner Granerud achieves one more victory first, it will also touch Daniel André Tande, who has seven in total in his career.
– I had to mention to “Danny” that I was behind him too, he smiles.
Roar Ljøkelsøy won four World Cup gold medals in ski flying during his career and, in addition, two silver and two bronze medals at the World Cup. At the Olympics, he won two bronze medals (individual and team jump from Turin in 2016).
Ljøkelsøy has also become World Cup number two twice.
He has eleven World Cup victories in total, which are the majority for Norwegians. Anders Jacobsen has ten, Roger Ruud nine, Espen Bredesen and Bjørn Einar Romøren eight, while Anders Bardal, Vegard Opaas and the aforementioned Tande have seven.
However, it depends a bit on Gregor Schlierenzauer (53 World Cup champions), who leads ahead of Matti Nykänen (46) and Poles Adam Malysz and Kamil Stoch (both 39).
LEGEND: No Norwegian has more World Cup Jumping victories than Roar Ljøkelsøy. Photo: Geir Olsen
After five races without a win, Egner Granerud returned to the top. It has been a season of adventure for the jumper, who calls it all “absurd”.
– I’m a little surprised that it went as fast and as sickly well as it has been. It says a lot about how absurd this whole season is when I feel like it’s been a bit of a difficult period, and he’s got two second places, one fourth place, one twelfth place and one fifth place, he says.
– I think the jump is so good that the bad ski jumps are enough to be number four / five and that the good jumps are a couple ahead.
The winner says he hasn’t thought about the World Cup yet and runs one race at a time. Next up is Zakopane, where Egner Granerud at least avoids having a Polish audience on his neck.
– It would probably have been more fun with the crowd anyway, says Granerud, who moved the Poles after the remarks after the race in Innsbruck.
