– There is a shiver and a euphoria, mixed with hurt feelings. It’s been a tough road here. I feel the tears pressing down all the time.
This is what Forfang told NRK after he took both the hill record in Willingen and the first Norwegian World Cup win on the men’s side this season.
Forfang touched the previous hill record when he jumped 153 meters in Friday’s qualification.
On Saturday, he jumped a full 155.5 meters in the second half and was completely superior.
– It is an explosion of emotions. This is what we are all working towards, says Forfang about the seconds after the record jump.
JOY: Johann André Forfang could let loose the jubilation together with his teammates when the victory was secured.
Photo: AP
– Been through so many hard times
Before Saturday’s race, the Norwegian men had only jumped into one podium place in the World Cup. On the women’s side, there have been five individual podiums, but no victories.
– It’s the worst thing I’ve seen, says Viaplay’s commentator Petter Tenstad as Forfang jumps down the hill.
The previous Norwegian World Cup victory came when Halvor Egner Granerud won at Lillehammer on 14 March last year.
A LONG TIME AGO: This is from the last time Norway took a victory in the World Cup in jumping. Then Halvor Egner Granerud was the best.
Photo: NTB
For Forfang, it is his fourth World Cup victory and his first since 1 December 2018. He admits that he was extremely nervous before the final jump.
– It has been five years since I last stood on the podium. It has been a roller coaster during the five years, where I have occasionally lost faith that I will achieve a result like this again, says Forfang and continues:
– There have been so many difficult moments on the way here. That makes it extra strong for me, says Forfang.
Two Norwegians on the podium
Forfang jumped second last in the second half after he delivered a very good jump in the first half. Only Finnish Anti Aalto got more points than the Norwegian.
The Finn, for his part, did not cope with the pressure and was nowhere near living up to Forfang’s monster jump. The Norwegian won the race by over 30 points to Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi in second place.
Everything was supposed to work out for the Norwegian jumpers this Saturday. Hill record, the year’s first World Cup win and two Norwegians on the podium.
For Kristoffer Sundal delivered his first podium in the World Cup. Sundal was beside himself with joy when he was interviewed by Viaplay.
– Thank you very much, this is absolutely sick. It is indescribably big ass, he says to Viaplay.
Marius Lindvik is the only Norwegian men’s jumper with a podium place this season with a second place from Switzerland’s Engelberg.
THIRD PLACE: Kristoffer Sundal Eriksen took his first podium in his career.
Photo: AFP
Finnish-Norwegian duel
After the first half in Willingen, Germany, the stage was set for the Finland-Norway duel between Anti Aalto and Johann André Forfang. One point separated the two before the whole thing was to be decided.
The Finns, who have not won on the men’s side in the World Cup since Anssi Koivuranta won in Innsbruck back to January 4, 2014. 280 races and 10 years later, Aalto was about to break the Finnish World Cup curse.
The other Norwegian jumpers, Marius Lindvik and Benjamin Østvold finished in 11th and 13th place respectively.