Bjørn Wirkola
Encyclopedia
Bjørn Wirkola is former ski jumper and footballer from Norway
.
He became World Champion in Oslo
in 1966, winning both the large and normal hill competitions. The 1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
were also held in conjunction with the Holmenkollen ski festival
, making Wirkola the Holmenkollen champion as well (a feat he would repeat the following year). Wirkola won the Four Hills Tournament
from 1967 to 1969, and is still the only ski jumper who has won this tournament three years in a row. He also competed at three Winter Olympics: in 1964
he finished eleventh in the Nordic combined, in 1968 Winter Olympics
in Grenoble
, he achieved his best finish with a fourth place in the individual normal hill, 0.6 points behind the bronze medalist Baldur Preiml
of Austria
, and the 1972 Winter Olympics
, where he finished 37th in the wind-ravaged event in the Okurayama large hill.
For his achievements as a ski jumper, Wirkola was awarded the Holmenkollen medal
in 1968 (shared with King Olav V, Assar Rönnlund
, and Gjermund Eggen
). The common parlance expression jumping after Wirkola
has come to refer to situations where one embarks on a task where one's predecessor has done a particularly good job – or where one is unlikely to succeed.
In 1971, he began to play competitive football
. He played for Rosenborg in the Norwegian Premier League
from 1971 to 1974, and won both league and cup championships with Rosenborg in 1971. The same year he was awarded Egebergs Ærespris
(where recipients need to be at top international level in one sport and at least at top national level in a different sport).
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
He became World Champion in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1966, winning both the large and normal hill competitions. The 1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1966 took place February 17–26, 1966 in Oslo, Norway at the Holmenkollen ski arena. This was the third time the Norwegian capital hosted this event having done so in 1930 and at the 1952 Winter Olympics...
were also held in conjunction with the Holmenkollen ski festival
Holmenkollen ski festival
The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. It takes place in March and has been arranged every year since 1892, except for 1898 and during World War II...
, making Wirkola the Holmenkollen champion as well (a feat he would repeat the following year). Wirkola won the Four Hills Tournament
Four Hills Tournament
The Four Hills Tournament is composed of four Ski Jumping World Cup events and has taken place in Germany and Austria each year since 1952.The Four Hills Tournament champion is the one who gets the most points over the four events...
from 1967 to 1969, and is still the only ski jumper who has won this tournament three years in a row. He also competed at three Winter Olympics: in 1964
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
he finished eleventh in the Nordic combined, in 1968 Winter Olympics
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, he achieved his best finish with a fourth place in the individual normal hill, 0.6 points behind the bronze medalist Baldur Preiml
Baldur Preiml
Baldur Preiml . is a former Austrian ski jumper who competed from 1960 to 1968.His best known finish was a Bronze medal in the Individual Normal Hill at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble.-External links:...
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
, where he finished 37th in the wind-ravaged event in the Okurayama large hill.
For his achievements as a ski jumper, Wirkola was awarded the Holmenkollen medal
Holmenkollen medal
The Holmenkollen medal is Norwegian skiing's highest award for competitors. It signifies top placings in international championships and other international events, including the Holmenkollen events....
in 1968 (shared with King Olav V, Assar Rönnlund
Assar Rönnlund
Assar Rönnlund was a Swedish cross-country skier. Rönnlund's biggest success was at the 1962 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Zakopane where he won two gold medals and a silver . As a result, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal that year for his championship successes...
, and Gjermund Eggen
Gjermund Eggen
Gjermund Eggen was a Norwegian cross country skier who won three golds at the 1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo...
). The common parlance expression jumping after Wirkola
Jumping after Wirkola
Jumping after Wirkola, idiom of Norwegian origin , signifying the prospect of and the difficulties associated with embarking on a task where one's immediate predecessor has accomplished an unusually good job...
has come to refer to situations where one embarks on a task where one's predecessor has done a particularly good job – or where one is unlikely to succeed.
In 1971, he began to play competitive football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. He played for Rosenborg in the Norwegian Premier League
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
from 1971 to 1974, and won both league and cup championships with Rosenborg in 1971. The same year he was awarded Egebergs Ærespris
Egebergs Ærespris
The Egebergs Ærespris is a prize awarded to Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. The prize was created by Ferdinand Julian Egeberg, and consists of a bronze statuette modelled by sculptor Magnus Vigrestad.-History:...
(where recipients need to be at top international level in one sport and at least at top national level in a different sport).