While the world elite in men’s jumping will compete in “Hoppuka” in Austria on Wednesday, Maren Lundby is at home in Lillehammer to train. And it can’t just be done on the jumping hill and in the strength room. The best female ski jumper in the world of all time also goes mile after mile on cross-country skis. – There will be a number of days like today, where I am on the ski jump and then go skiing afterwards. It’s to get in good shape as soon as possible, I’d rather be fighting at the very top when I jump on skis, says Lundby when news meets her. The 28-year-old has 30 World Cup victories. He has also had a habit of dominating in championships. She followed up the Olympic gold from 2018 with WC gold in 2019, while the women were still only allowed to jump in normal slopes. HISTORICAL: Maren Lundby became the first downhill world champion in women’s history, but the gold cost almost as much as it tasted. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Precious gold When they finally relaxed on the big hill during the WC in Oberstdorf in 2021, Maren Lundby ran away with the historic gold as well. But it came with a high price. Lundby carried out an intense diet to win the gold. Afterwards, the body said stop – and Lundby gained a lot of weight. In the book “A meeting with Maren”, she reveals that she most likely will have decreased metabolism for the rest of her life. It was to be 20 months from the WC gold before Lundby again competed in an international showjumping competition. This season she has participated in four World Cup races, with positions between 16 and 24 – far from where she wants to be. The competition weight is not where she needs to be for her to be able to fight for podium places. That’s why she goes skiing. Going into new intense diets is simply out of the question. No reason for shortcuts – I see no reason to take shortcuts that will probably lead to me ending up in the same situation again. There is no point in rushing things. Then it’s better to take the time it takes, she says. GOOD SUPPORT: Former top jumper Line Jahr (th) acts as a mentor and training friend. Photo: Camilla Alexandra Lie / news She carries out many of the training sessions on cross-country skiing together with her mentor Line Jahr. Both took part in the very first world championship for women, in Liberec in 2009. Then Jahr was 25 years old and one of the most experienced, while Lundby was only 14. – Right now she is in a very good mental place. It was worse earlier in the autumn, I think. Then I knew she was further down, but now she is very optimistic, says Jahr, who is impressed by the patience her friend shows. – She is very aware of the choices she makes. That is why she is out for an hour and a half at 12, 13 minus to do it in a natural way. That means hard work, no shortcuts like lying on the sofa and not eating, she points out. Have had a dark look at the season Lundby does not hide that its patience is being put to the test. – You have been disappointed that things have not gone as quickly as you would have liked. I have sometimes looked darkly at this season as well, she admits. MILE AFTER MILE: With the sun at your back, it’s difficult to leave the shade, but Maren Lundby has no intention of taking shortcuts. Photo: Camilla Alexandra Lie / news – The long-term goal is to come back and win, but on the way there you have to take some steps, and it is not something that happens overnight, notes Lundby, who is aiming to be back in the World Cup in Hinterzarten at the end of January. Most of her competitors have the WC in Planica as their big winter goal. For Lundby, there is something else that tempts more. On 17 March, the women will be allowed to fly for the first time on the biggest slope in the world, Vikersundbakken. – I have made a plan to jump far in Vikersund, preferably the longest. That is the goal, states Lundby. As the women have barely been allowed to set foot on a ski flying slope, Daniela Iraschko-Stolz’s world record for 200 meters has stood since 29 January 2003. Stefan Kraft’s world record for men, set in Vikersund in 2017, is 253.5 meters .
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Goes miles on cross-country skiing – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
