Former ski-jumping hero Matti Nykänen attracts considerable crowd to Helsinki’s Herttoniemi

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Former Finnish ski-jumping hero Matti Nykänen, often hailed as the best ski-jumper of all times, attracted a sizeable crowd to Helsinki’s Herttoniemi ski-jumping centre on Sunday. Several hundred faithful fans had gathered to see their hero jump on the artificial surface “summer hill”.
      Nykänen, who had signed up for the seniors competition organised by Helsingin Mäkihyppääjät (Helsinki Ski-Jumpers), eventually opted for not jumping and settled for the role of a spectator.
      “I feel slightly tired. Late last night I drove from Hanko to Helsinki and only went to bed in the small hours”, Nykänen explained, while signing autographs to dozens of enthusiastic fans.
     
The queue in front of the four-time Olympic gold medallist exceeded in length even that of the adjacent hotdog stand selling “competition hotdogs” for a measly euro.
      Most of the fans seemed to accept the explanation as to why the weary former superstar chose to remain part of the audience.
      “I guess he did not want to chance it unprepared. Still, I salute him for being in the shape he was last winter at the Senior World Championships”, Ritva Toivonen said.
      Another fan, Hanna-Liisa Seppälä, was delighted at snagging  the Olympic champion’s autograph, which she said would make a nice addition to her Nykänen collection. “I bought a sheet of Nykänen stamps as soon as they were issued after the Calgary Games in 1988. I still have them all.”
     
The last senior competitors had to settle for jumping for nearly empty bleachers as the audience’s attention turned to Nykänen as he climbed down from the judges’ tower.
      “I have never jumped from this Herttoniemi hill, but I do like its profile. Next weekend I might have a go and produce a couple of practice jumps from it”, Nykänen said.
      In June Matti Nykänen will travel to Slovenia, where he said he would also jump a few times. Presumably he will visit the Elan ski factory there.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Prosecutor refers ruling on Matti Nykänen´s stabbing incident to Court of Appeal (4.11.2004)
  Former Olympic icon receives two-year prison term for aggravated assault (28.10.2004)
  Everyone wants a piece of Matti (10.8.2004)
  Matti Nykänen can still draw the crowds on the ski-jumping hill (28.2.2008)
  Former ski jumper Matti Nykänen gets four-month sentence for beating wife (17.3.2006)

Links:
  Matti Nykänen (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat