Torbjørn Falkanger

Torbjørn Getz Falkanger ( born October 8, 1927 in Trondheim, † July 16, 2013 ) was a Norwegian ski jumper.

Career

His first success came Falkanger at the Norwegian Championships 1948 in Strinda where behind Asbjørn Ruud he won the silver medal on the normal hill. In 1949 he won the international jumping at Holmenkollen for the first time. In the same year he won at the Norwegian Championships 1949 in Steinkjer before Sverre Kronvoll and Arnfinn Bergmann its first national title.

In 1950, he won again at Holmenkollen, and at the national championships. In the Nordic World Ski Championships m the same year in Lake Placid, he reached fifth place.

At the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games 1952 in Oslo Falkanger the honor to speak the Olympic Oath. In Olympic competition, he was after the first passage on the Holmenkollbakken still in the lead and ultimately won the silver medal behind compatriot Arnfinn Bergmann.

After the Olympics, he shared with Stein Eriksen, Heikki Hasu and Nils Karlsson awarded the Holmenkollen medal, the highest award in the Norwegian skiing. Only a few weeks later at the Norwegian Championships 1952 in Porsgrunn, he won again the silver medal.

In the Nordic World Ski Championships 1954 in Falun, he finished after a streaky competition sixth. Shortly thereafter, he won again the title at the Norwegian Championships 1954 in Strinda.

After a fall while jumping at Holmenkollen Falkanger 1956 could not participate in the Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d' Ampezzo injury and ended his career on it.

Private

Falkanger is the son of dispatchers Arne Falkanger (1895-1976) and Signe Getz ( 1896-1939 ). On April 28, 1952, he married Margrethe ( Mosse ) Pauline Grimstad (* 1929). After the end of his career Falkanger worked in the family-owned shoe factory Falkanger Sko AS in Trondheim, where he became subsequently as director. He died at the age of 86 years on July 16, 2013 in Trondheim.