Nice one, Janne!

[otyikondo]

Finally, a smile.

The boy did good.

(World Champion)

http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html? ... aceid=1736

[pierrot]

He was almost extatic winning considering his usual lack of emotions.
It was a great competition and I really enjoyed watching it!

[otyikondo]

Was good, wasn't it? Classy. I mean the cream really came to the top. Janda is the next new thing, and the Norwegian bloke with the funny name is pretty hot on the World Cup circuit too, these days (he's 1-3-3-1 in his last four World Cup outings). About the only one who didn't quite come up to snuff was Morgenstern. And maybe Höllwarth. But credit to Ahonen. Can't be easy looking at them nudging the hill record like that and knowing you have to do the same, and if you overcook it you're screwed and down on the flat...

[pierrot]

The norvegians are only a shadow of what they were last season when they were flying in a league of their own. Seems that the Mikka-Magic came a bit too early and that expectations were too high for this season.

Risto is quite good this season and Schmitt is finaly coming out of his hole.
Adasz looks lost at times. I hope he gets back to his old strength.

BTW did anyone else see the norvegian judge gave a 17,5 to Janne on his last jump?

[otyikondo]

The norvegians are only a shadow of what they were last season when they were flying in a league of their own. Seems that the Mikka-Magic came a bit too early and that expectations were too high for this season.

Risto is quite good this season and Schmitt is finaly coming out of his hole.
Adasz looks lost at times. I hope he gets back to his old strength.

BTW did anyone else see the norvegian judge gave a 17,5 to Janne on his last jump?

Yep. Four straight 19s and that one. Mind you, he WAS a bit wobbly, but then again when you put your wheels down so near the end of the runway, there's likely to be a bit of bounce. He also marked him down first time...18.0, with all others giving 18.5 (1) 19.0 (1), and 19.5 (2). It happens in the best of families.

Have you also noticed the not-so-subtle changes that have been introduced into cross-country skiing? It's all mass starts these days, and sprints that appeal to the spectators (none of that off in the woods invisible stuff) and keep the TV companies happy.

Only ONE event in the entire World Championships with the old-fashioned "every thirty seconds" start. I guess it's only par for the course. Volleyball changed its rules to accommodate TV, tennis brought in the tie-break in a desperate attempt to get some discipline into the length of matches, cricket has gone berserk with one-day slogging fests that look like they are being played on a village green, Finnish-rules baseball revamped its entire scoring system a few years back... all to keep the networks happy. They LIKE sports with a clear beginning and end. Helps them to fill their slots.

[Emi]

I couldn't watch skijumping because of my work Wish I could have seen Janne smiling yesterday

[Hank W.]

I can't resist:

[mookoo]

There was a great skit on Conan O'Brian once where he was going through some "foreign holidays" and he was talking about some holiday in Finland where it was the only day of the year when the Finnish people would show emotion. The audience didn't get it, but I sure had a laugh about it.

My boyfriend says Janne's coach was giving him a signal to smile for the cameras. Dunno if that is true or not ... know my Finn and his love of pulling my leg since I don't understand anything that is going on hardly ever

Also, that coach from Norway ... he is originally Finnish right? I thought that he was coaching the Finnish team some years ago. Anyway, he was also equally as excited about everything. If the jump was really good, he gave a small nod and a

[Emi]

Mika Kojonkoski is Finnish and it wasn't few years ago, he came to Norway as a coach in 2003, it's his 2nd season there.

[PeterF]

In case there those who do not know..Jaane will be jumping this week end at Lahti.
Int Hesa says... there will be a full programme of skiing, Nordic Combined, and ski-jumping in Lahti, with a total of eight World Cup events being contested.
From the Finnish perspective, the attention will be centred on Hannu Manninen in the Nordic Combined and Janne Ahonen in the ski-jumping.
If the results go their way, both could wrap up the World Cup titles in their respective disciplines well before the season's end.
Ahonen in particular is likely to be a big crowd-puller, as the new World Champion is a local boy and this is his first appearance this season on his home hill.

http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/ ... 1978729901


It is not a bad day out from Helsinki.
The weather looks to be good.

[otyikondo]

"Have you also noticed the not-so-subtle changes that have been introduced into cross-country skiing? It's all mass starts these days, and sprints that appeal to the spectators (none of that off in the woods invisible stuff) and keep the TV companies happy."

Today's Nordic Combined is a case in point. Basically they do one jump, then all race round a spiral "spectator-friendly" track of 800 metres, with a staggered start that is measured in metres rather than seconds. Well, one second = six metres. It's called a "hurricane sprint".

[PeterF]

It's called a "hurricane sprint".

@#$% that for a game of soldiers sounds like recipe for a pile up..but perhaps the spectators will enjoy that.

Did you also hear that a couple of Finns went down the ski jump at Ruka...on mountain bikes...To amuse their mates and holiday crowds...(probably a bet or two in the bar...yahh yoooo ...you would not dare..go one..!)
Not only did they do it but they both landed on the wheels and stayed on their bikes..
Perhaps it is the birth of a new sport.

[takaisin suomeen]

Pierrot

Please do not try to blend in!-Just be you.We need some variety in Finland.
greetings
takaisin suomeen