2011-10-09 17:35:46
Like last year Grefsen DH was held at Grefsenkollen in Oslo. It was predicted good weather, but the skaters had to bear with the fog.
Photo: Ali Degirmenci
Six-man heats instead of four-mans
This year’s course was not so different from last year’s. A short start that goes directly into a sharp right-hand turn and then moving to a fast, long
section. The rest of the course was sweepers until the finish line. So it was all about having a good tuck and there was no room for making a mistake. The fact that the course was so wide made it possible to run six-man heats.
Photo: Øystein Sørensen, www.litt.no
From bright sunshine to thick fog in minutes
The weather was really changing from bright sunshine to thick fog. The riders had maximum 30 meters sight for the worst, but the problems with the sight came first when it started to get dark. Due to the extra thick fog the organizers had to cancel Women’s class and Junior class. There were a total of 12 freeride runs both Friday and Saturday.
After two qualifying rounds Swedish Adam Persson passed the finish line with a time of 1:32,280 and was the fastest. Christoffer Sanne took second place with the time 1:32,540 just 0.260 behind Persson. Johan Simonsen had to be content with being the third fastest (1:33,960)
Tough competition from the beginning of the heats
Photo: Tanya Raab
Fog and wet asphalt created a lot of action and surprising results to the audience’s delightment. Adam Persson and Adrian Jancey was skating almost synchronously until the semifinals when Persson crashed in the last turn and got his shoulder dislocated. It was predicted that Adrian Jancey would take his first victory, but that took an abrupt end in the first turn in the final when he slipped out with Fridtjof Schei. Then there was tight riding until the finish line. Johan Simonsen took first place with Johansson, Wegge and Jørundland just a meter behind. Jancey and Schei showed good sportsmanship and cruised over the finish line together.
After the competition was the awards ceremony and party at the party tent at the top. Congratulations were given and the compliments were handed out to athletes and assistants. When it was all over the bags were packed with an atmosphere of that such events are over all too quickly. This was countered with the news of the races for the next year.
For more pictures go to www.litt.no