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It was a crazy thriller at the World Ski Flying Championships, but Halvor Egner Granerud finally had to settle for World Cup silver.
See Granerud’s latest wild jump at the top of the box!
The Norwegian was in second place, 7.7 points behind German Karl Geiger before the decisive fourth jump at Planica on Saturday afternoon.
In the final round, Granerud maintained a fantastic 243 meter flight in the final round, but Karl Geiger ultimately won the competition by half a point.
The German jumped “only” 231.5 meters in his last jump, but had better style marks than the Norwegian. Granerud failed to make a proper impact on the last jump. It became crucial.
Television footage showed a desperate Granerud on the Planica plain when he saw the final result after four rounds.
– I think I have finally understood how Rune Velta feels about the money he has from Vikersund. It is bitter. I think so. I said before the championship that if I feel like I’ve done everything I can, I should be happy anyway. I don’t feel that, Granerud tells NRK after the race.
The judges in focus
After the race, the judges became a topic of discussion in the NRK studio. On Saturday they got a decisive role as it was the style characters who helped separate the two jumpers at the top.
Former Olympic champion and world record holder Espen Bredesen isn’t sure whether Granerud will feel cheated, but believes that judges don’t have a chance to judge a jump correctly when they get closer to the ball.
– I have probably been surprised by the character of the judge throughout my career as a commentator. They aren’t sitting there judging a proper ski jump, Bredesen tells Nettavisen.
– It must be terrible for a judge who wants to do a good job to be put in a place where he cannot do it. Right above the ball it is not decided, it is on impact that it is decided, says Bredesen.
He finds it embarrassing when television reruns show how many times the judges are completely lost.
– It will be so stupid that everyone who watches television sees this. Viewers can see it in “slow motion” on television. It is the same as in soccer (without goal line technology) when viewers see that the ball is on the line, but then the referee does not judge a goal.
Bredesen is surprised that no action has been taken in ski jumping for a long time.
– They have known for so many years, but nothing happens. Then the judges won’t be able to do their job, says the 1994 Olympian.
Responded to the character style
NRK expert Johan Remen Evensen was a bit surprised that world champion Geiger received a score of 19.5 from one of the judges in the third round, but was careful not to criticize the decision after the race.
However, he asks the same question as Bredesen, exactly how the judges who are positioned almost on the ball should be able to judge the landing of the jumpers in a proper way.
– How will they be able to decide a World Cup gold like they do here today ?, Evensen asks in the NRK studio after the race.
National team coach Alexander Stöckl will not blame the referees in connection with this weekend’s World Cup competition, but welcomes a debate on the position of the referees.
– Let them decide the World Cup I think is good. We have style as an important part of our sport. We are one of the few sports that has both an objective and subjective measurement. I think that’s good. But the positioning of the umpire tower has been a discussion for a long time, Stöckl tells Nettavisen.
He thinks it might have made sense that there was a greater focus on the judges and that, to a greater extent, they may have the opportunity to follow the jumpers through video and slow motion.
– They have it in some cases today, but I agree that this with its location is something that can be discussed, says Stöckl.
The coach of the Norwegian national team thinks it might be a good idea to look at other sports such as snowboarding, where the referees are even more visible on the slopes.
– It could have lifted our product, says Stöckl.
– Difficult learning
A half point was what decided the game for world gold on Saturday.
Bredesen is impressed with Granerud’s performance, but also believes that he will feel bitter forever. However, he believes it will be a very good experience for the 24-year-old.
– It is a difficult learning, but perhaps already a good learning for the week of jumping, says Bredesen.
It is supported by Stöckl.
– There is a lot of learning in what happened here, says the coach of the national team.
Germany’s Markus Eisenbichler finished third in Saturday’s World Cup competition.
Robert Johansson was involved in the medal match for a long time, but the podium slipped for the former world record holder. Before the final round he was in 5th place, but the Norwegian couldn’t pass those ahead of him on the results list. In the final round, Johansson landed at 232 meters.
Reigning world champion Daniel Andre Tande finished in 13th place.
The Flying Ski World Cup will be decided with a team competition on Sunday. Norway is one of the big favorites there.
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