any Norwegian ski enthusiast knows the name Birger Ruud. back in the early days Norwegians dominated the sport and one of the most celebrated figures was Birger Ruud who won the winter Olympics in 1932 and 1936in addition to becoming the world champion 3 times in the 1930s and setting several world records. after World War 2 he was an assistant coach for the national team during the 1948 Olympics. because the weather was so bad, the team was concerned that the least experienced jumper was not experience enough to safely execute the jumps so Birger Ruud took his place and won the silver medal despite the fact he had not competed for years. he was also a celebrated hero in the resistance during the war.
in his honor, a bronze statue of him was erected in his home town Kongsberg. as is fitting he is portrayed flying high in the air so on a sunny day the statue casts this curious shadow down on the park outside the town's ski museum. the statue was unveiled by the late King Olav V during the opening ceremony of the museum. the statue depicts the style he was famous for, locally known as the Kongsbergknekk, the Kongsberger technique. the skis were held parallel and the upper body bent forward at the hips for increased lift.
