Snowboarder Terje Håkonsen
Opens up about drama: – Could have gone really crazy
Terje Håkonsen, current “Champion of Masters”, experienced the nightmare when he was 19 years old.
It all began in the mountain village of Åmot in Vinje municipality in Telemark. The adventure that has taken Terje Håkonsen (49) around the world and made him one of the most influential mushers in snowboarding history.
– I am very grateful that I grew up in a place with few people. A place without time wasters such as traffic jams and parking problems. I think Bygde-Norge is built on a number of activities, even if the selection is a bit narrower than elsewhere in the country.
– I participated in everything I could participate in. Cross-country skiing, ski jumping, alpine skiing, football and snowboarding. Then I eventually stopped doing the things I didn’t like – like cross-country skiing, Terje tells Her og Nå.
STRONG OPINIONS: Terje has been known for his strong opinions, and he has, among other things, boycotted the Olympics in protest against the IOC. – I have learned that honesty lasts the longest and the importance of standing up for what you believe. I can stand a discussion myself and that someone talks to me, I think others have to too, he says to Her og Nå. Photo: Svein Brimi
Dropped out of high school
After finishing primary school, he left the mountain village and turned his eyes to the USA – a country where the sport of snowboarding was far more established at the time than here at home in Norway. A choice that has largely shaped him as a performer and person.
– Leaving as a 15-year-old was very liberating for me who didn’t want to go to upper secondary school – at the same time I earned money from it. In meeting the sport and the people, I learned an enormous amount. It became like a school for me. The experience of what you learn is absolutely amazing.
– I got to know different cultures, became interested in different food and different music. Had I stayed in Åmot, the inspiration would probably have been a little narrower, believes the 49-year-old, and continues:
– Having grown up in a small, sheltered village in Telemark, I quickly learned how crazy the world is. It made a huge impression on me how polluted it was everywhere. You see a lot of beauty in the world, but you also see all the crap.
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Got shut up
He also learned a thing or two about communication early on…
– I had a couple of “fights” with my parents at the time, before email and mobile phones became common. From that I learned that every time I moved, I called home and left a phone number for them.
DIFFICULT TO READ: Terje has a distinctive way of expressing himself. – He is probably a bit difficult to read. When you first crack the code, you understand everything, his son Teo (19) tells Her og Nå. Photo: NRK
– It was better than me forgetting to call home, and only realizing it after three weeks. Then they were a bit worried and yelled at me, which was completely deserved, says Terje with a sly smile.
In a short time, the young shooting star ended up at the top of the world, and throughout his career he has set records, climbed steep mountains and engaged in product development. And that is the last thing he is most proud of today.
– I’ve won some titles and made some films, but I think some of the things I’m most proud of are the technical clothes, training bags, bindings, boots and boards I’ve helped develop.
– There are products that have later been copied and taken further. I feel that I have given more back to the sport than winning competitions, says Terje.
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Angel guard
The lifelong passion for the sport has not been without risks. Whether you’re setting off steep mountain sides or taking the world record for the highest jump over the edge of the halfpipe, there’s precision and control behind it. Then you cannot allow yourself to doubt your own achievements.
– When it comes to injuries, I have been lucky. There’s always something that could happen, but I’ve never been foolhardy. You have to drive smart. So it’s good to have a little fear in the back of your mind. Without it, it is easy for things to go wrong, emphasizes Terje.
FLY HIGH: Terje has, among other things, won the WC in halfpipe three times, he has five European Championship golds in halfpipe and he has won the US Open three times. In 2007, he also set a world record for “Highest Air” when he reached 9.8 meters from the top of the half pipe. Photo: NTB
As a 19-year-old, he nevertheless made a less smart choice that could have had fatal consequences.
– If you are caught by a fishing line, it is almost impossible to save you – even with modern equipment. A large percentage are so bruised by the enormous forces that they die from the trauma to the body. I myself have ended up under the snow and been pulled up again. But I know people who have experienced it much worse, says Terje, and elaborates:
– I’m glad it happened early in my career, because it could have gone really crazy. We didn’t have searches on us or anything. I was only 19 years old when I and another jumped over a fence at a resort we were staying at. It was powder and we were going to ride “back country” (outside the slopes. ed. note) The man behind me was not dragged into the slide, but I was.
It went well at the time, and today the top-trained 49-year-old can look back on a career that has spanned more than 30 years. And although in recent weeks you have been able to follow him as a “Champion of Masters” participant on NRK, Terje has not yet given up as a top athlete. He has no immediate plans to do that either.
– I have been asked to participate in “Master of Masters” for ten years, but I have said that I have not given up. Today I no longer race World Cups, but I still race international competitions. I was allowed to join anyway. It was probably fine because I was old and such, Terje grins.
RUN BARBENT: Terje excelled in the first episode where he parked, among others, former skier Anders Aukland and marksman Ole Kristian Bryhn. Photo: NRK
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Ex-girlfriend Mia Hundvin
Despite a nomadic life as a top athlete, Terje has also managed to become a father. He has a son Kane (26), who lives in Hawaii, from a previous relationship – and with the former handball star Mia Hundvin (46) he has a son Teo (19) and a daughter Nemi (16).
In connection with the premiere party for “Champion of Champions”, the youngest son was on hand to show his support for dad.
– This will be the first time I have seen dad on TV like now, which makes me a little nervous. But he’s good at helping others, being social and having fun – so I can’t understand anything other than that he’s doing well.
– But he is probably a bit difficult to read. When you first crack the code, you understand everything, an expectant Teo tells Her og Nå before the premiere.
FATHER AND SON: Terje has three children, son Kane (26), Teo (19) and daughter Nemi (16). Teo attended this year’s premiere party to support dad. Teo and Nemi have Terje together with the former handball player Mia Hundvin. They went their separate ways a few years back. Photo: Svein Brimi
Growing up with one of the world‘s most high-profile snowboarders as a dad has had its pros and cons.
– As an athlete, dad has accomplished more than most. It has also meant that he has been away a lot, which has been a bit boring. It was all the better when he got home! So I have been lucky to have been able to take part in many different competitions and events growing up.
– Today I also stand on the board like dad, but I’m probably more interested in football. Being physically active is an important part of the father’s legacy.
This case was first published on 26/01 2024, and last updated on 26/01 2024.