Erik HÃ¥ker
Erik Haker ( born March 4, 1952 in Oppdal ) is a retired Norwegian alpine skier. He is the first Norwegian to have won a World Cup race. In 1979 he was awarded the Holmenkollen medal.
Haker grew up in his birthplace of Oppdal. Internationally, he made the first time at the Alpine World Ski Championships 1970 in Val Gardena attention to himself, as he drove the age of 17 in the giant slalom in 10th and 13th place in the downhill. A knee surgery then interrupted his first athletic development.
His breakthrough with the world leaders he succeeded in the Olympic 1971 season / 72nd After a botched start to the season with No. 33 in the first downhill in St. Moritz, he won four days later with fastest time in both runs the giant slalom in Val d'Isere. He was the first of his country skier who won a World Cup race (Note: The Alpine Ski World Cup has been held since the winter season 1966/67, the great successes of his Norwegian compatriot Stein Eriksen were before). Finally Haker finished fifth in the downhill at the Winter Olympics in Sapporo. Two weeks later, he celebrated the first post-Olympic giant slalom in Banff his second World Cup victory.
During the 1970s, Haker one of the strongest giant slalom and downhill racers remained in the World Cup. Overall, he won 20 times a place on the podium. In the season 1974/75 he reached fifth place in the overall standings of the World Cup. Between 1970 and 1981 he won eleven Norwegian championship.
Haker 1979 for his sporting achievements was awarded together with Ingemar Stenmark and Raisa Smetanina with the Holmenkollen medal. He is only one of nine non - Nordic skiers since 1895, which was bestowed this honor.