Alex Stoeckl names six Norwegians for World Cup opener
Nov 20, 2019·Ski Jumping
Norwegian head coach Alexander Stoeckl faced a difficult decision before the World Cup opener in Wisla: Out of the seven athletes on his A-team, he could only name six for the first World Cup weekend of the 2019/20 season.
In the end, it was decided that Halvor Egner Granerud will be the one who will start the season in the Continental Cup instead of the World Cup in Wisla.
"It's a challenge and a luxury problem to name a team of six jumpers when all seven of them showed good performances over the past year and during the course of this summer. I had to disappoint one, but that's the way it is. Whoever can't compete in Wisla this weekend has to stay in a good shape as well. Halvor will train at home first and then compete in the COC in order to fight for an additional quota spot. But there's also always the possibility that we'll make changes in the World Cup team earlier in case one of the jumpers in not in a good shape", Stoeckl explains.
The six athletes, who will represent Norway in Wisla are therefore Johann Andre Forfang, Robert Johansson, Marius Lindvik, Thomas Aasen Markeng, Robin Pedersen, and Daniel-André Tande.
"It's always difficult to make any prediction when we have not competed against the rest of the world yet. But after the performances this summer and in fall I have a positive feeling. The shape of most of the athletes shows a positive trend and I think we are well prepared. The excitement is always especially high before the start of a new season. We hope that we can fight for the top positions in the 4-Hills-Tournament, the RAW AIR and at the Ski Flying World Championships at the end of the season. I'm looking forward to an eventful winter", said Stoeckl.
