The “Kingingaskotka” ate his words to the joy of the hill people and still jumps from the normal hill. Ahonen, who ended his racing career in 2018, last jumped from a similar small hill five years ago.
Hill legend Janne Ahonen will return to the ski jumps at the normal mountain championships in Ounasvaara, Rovaniemi, 14–15. April. Ahonen revealed the matter on Urheilustudio’s broadcast on Saturday.
According to Ahonen, 45, he does not set a medal goal.
– And not much else. Let’s say it like this, my goal is to be the fastest in the bow meter cells. And I know I have the best looking helmet in the race. I won’t say any more about it yet.
Ahonen says that the spring sun, the longing for excitement and challenging himself made the “Kingingaskotka” sign up for the race.
– When the spring weather comes and the sun is shining, then you start to feel like you want to go to the sledding hill like a little boy to have fun. After all, we cannot know whether the sun will be shining in Rovaniemi at that time. There is also a chance that it will rain and wind and everything will be boring and disgusting, but let’s hope for the best.
Ahonen ended his racing career in 2018. However, he participated in the suurmäki championship a year ago and won bronze. He also did a show jump in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Lahti Ski Club.
The last time Ahonen jumped from Lahti’s ski jump the size of a normal hill was five years ago. He is giddy with his decision to return to the normal hill a year after he said it.
– I said a year ago that I would never jump from a hill smaller than Suurmäki in Lahti again, but it seems that now I am going to the WC on a normal hill.
Ahonen hopes for good conditions for the competition – purely for comfort reasons.
– We’ll be there, I don’t know about jump safety. Basically, it’s not a bad idea to put yourself in difficult conditions and bad weather, but if you sign up for the competition, then you jump into the competition, no matter what the circumstances are.
Mountain Jumping Championship in Rovaniemi Ounasvaara 14–15. of April are shown on ‘s channels.