Halvor Egner Granerud jumped the best of the Norwegians in the qualification for the traditional New Year’s show jumping race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Then he was fined for unregulated dress.
Granerud’s suit must have been two millimeters too short in one leg.
Then it didn’t help that the vault winner from the 2022/23 season landed at 133 meters on the Olympic hill in Germany.
– It’s incredibly awkward, because it’s nothing, in a way. Gained advantage is nothing. The desire to have too short legs was zero. At the same time, we tried many times, but we never got it completely inside on both legs, so that’s how it is. It feels very leaden, says Granerud to NRK.
The disqualification means that all hope of a good overall position is also lost for Granerud.
– What will it be like to watch the New Year’s race from the spectator side?
– I don’t know, I don’t know if I want to.
Tuesday’s qualifying round did not promise any improved results in Thursday’s New Year’s race. The Norwegians finished far behind the very best.
Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal and Johann Forfang ended up with 133.5 and 128 meters respectively. Robin Pedersen achieved a qualifying jump of 131 metres.
Isak Andreas Langmo had to make do with 127.5 metres, but that too held his place in Thursday’s race by a good margin.
The weakest of the Norwegians was Marius Lindvik with a modest 125.5 metres. Romerikingen is far from the form that won medals during the WC in Granåsen last winter.