– That’s what happens when you’re not quick enough! In sea-green surroundings, snowboarding legend Terje Håkonsen has just completed his first night test. It was also the last. On Friday, the 49-year-old had to leave the Champion of Champions, in perhaps the most intense week to date. Terje Håkonsen says he has enjoyed himself in the Master of Masters. On Friday, the responsiveness did not keep pace with that of the competitor. Photo: Skjermdump / news Beat the “machine” Aukland For with “rawness” as the theme, it came as no great surprise that the endurance of the eight remaining athletes would be put to the test. First, the abdominal muscles should be allowed to go into “cramp”. – I’m actually looking forward to being in pain, said Camilla Gjersem. And she meant those words. IN A ROW AND ROW: It didn’t take long before several of the athletes had the “convulsions”. Photo: Alice Asplund / Nordisk Banijay/news While one by one succumbs to trembling legs, cramps and painful shocks, she is finally left with the big favorite Anders Aukland as the only competitor. The skier is both known and feared for his extreme endurance gear. But this time he has to give up at the finish line. Gjersem demonstrates power, and showcases the versatility that resides in a figure skater. – It’s very fun. I knew I could be tough on that one, says the 30-year-old. The ball artists asserted themselves And it was also tough in the continuation. The “ball lifting” exercise offered lactic acid, heart rate and heavy medicine balls: In the “ball lifting” exercise, the participants first had to carry medicine balls weighing 20 and 30 kilos, respectively, under two low obstacles. Then the balls had to be lifted five times over a higher obstacle, before they started the return journey. The entire course had to be completed five times before the athletes could run to the finish line. Ball players Marit Malm Frafjord and Pål André Helland win the women’s and men’s classes respectively. – There is a bit of punch in the slack footballer here, declares Helland with a smile. On behalf of football, he is very pleased that he was able to beat Aukland in an endurance exercise. Anders Aukland once again has to settle for being number two in the “roughness week”. A very satisfied Pål-André Helland on the right. Photo: Alice Asplund / Nordisk Banijay/news Terje Håkonsen, on the other hand, struggled at the bottom. He badly sprained his ankle while playing with a skateboard last week, something he knew well in the heavy lifts. – Then I felt that I moved back a little, he says to news. Just sniffed at the old record And even though both Håkonsen and several others had the knife at their throats before the last competition, it was the one that was the funnest. At least visually: Two participants persevere for over an hour. Marit Malm Frafjord gives herself five minutes into hour number two. For a moment it may look as if Ole-Kristian Bryhn will sniff Gro Espeseth’s record from 2014. She lasted one hour and 40 minutes in the exercise. But the record will stand. After one hour and nine minutes, the shooter from Røyken throws in the towel. Bryhn won the last exercise, while figure skater Camilla Gjersem took the overall victory this week. Photo: Alice Asplund / Nordisk Banijay/news For the second week in a row, Tiril Eckhoff must face a night test. And for the second time, she is the one fighting her way back into the game. A pioneer For Terje Håkonsen, the journey stops here, which he takes with stoic composure. – It has been fun. The snowboarding legend from Vinje describes the Master of Masters as a kind of “garden games” with athletes. – I have laughed a lot. Mostly my own mistakes, he says with a smile. But the 49-year-old is surprised by how much easier the competitions look on TV. – It’s not that simple, even though there are simple things we do. It’s been a bit of fun to see how clever you can get out of little things, he says to news. He was one of the very first snowboarders in Norway, and was able to help shape the sport, with everything from tricks to branches, equipment and clothing. Who is Terje Haakonsen? And how did a man who played through training become so good? The snowboarder is considered the all-time pioneer in snowboarding. Both in Norway and abroad. Among other things, he has won the World Cup in halfpipe three times, the World Cup, the US Open and all five European Championships in which he participated in the 90s. Håkonsen has never wanted to be on a national team or participate in the Olympics, and has wanted to promote board games and competition on the mushers’ own terms. Photo: NTB Scanpix But one of the things he is most proud of is not his achievements on the ground. That’s how involved athletes have been in the development of equipment. – I have designed boards that mine and other companies have taken on. It is perhaps more valuable than a European or World Cup title, I feel. Most recently last year he won the NM in halfpipe, at the age of 48. And Håkonsen has no plans to give up anytime soon.
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– I have laughed a lot – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
