It wasn’t always like this. Despite its affinity for things frigid, Norway’s athletes sometimes had snow kicked in their faces in international tests – especially at Calgary in 1988. But by Albertville in 1992 the new program was paying off: Norway won 20 medals. This time the haul will probably be larger.
The Norwegian model:
Norway’s push for the winter-sport summit, called Project Olympiatoppen, hinged on a single center where athletes from many sports could train together, trading tips and learning each other’s strengths. Former alpine coach Jarle Aambo now directs the Topsport Center in Oslo, where computers track athletic performance and coaches fine-tune their teams.
Without roughly $100 million of fresh capital, Topsport could never have broken ground. Since 1988 Norway’s sports budget has nearly quadrupled. But only a quarter of the money comes from government. Private sponsors – like SAS and the Norwegian Salmon Association – stepped up their funding after triumphing at Albertville. Athletes know that capitalism giveth and can take away. “The market will lose interest if we don’t succeed,” says Koss.
Well, not literally, but dance is critical to the alpine’s team new success: it enhances balance and coordination. Cross-training – improving athletes in one sport by making them practice another – is a Norwegian passion. Their ski jumpers skydive, the slalom skiers learn karate, the speed skaters row.
“People can copy our system,” says Arne Myrhvold, head of Norway’s Olympic Committee, “but they can’t copy our athletes.” Is this the new East Germany? “That was a Communist mess,” said alpine ace Kjetil Andrew Aamodt. “But you got a house and a car there if you won the Olympics. Here, you get a toothbrush and toothpaste.” All the better to smile with at medal ceremonies.
