When the best ski jumpers in the world prepare for flight at Oslo's Holmenkollbakken at the 2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Norway's royal family will watch from their new aluminium-and-glass arena suite - complete with aluminium building components from Hydro.
"Holmenkollbakken is the most-visited tourist attraction in Norway, it is an icon in Norwegian ski sport and it is a landmark in Oslo. We are very proud to have won the opportunity to deliver aluminium building systems for this fantastic sports arena," says Ulf Alfredsson, who is responsible for Hydro's building systems activities in Scandinavia.
ALUMINIUM: The royal suite at the new Holmenkollbakken, photographed last autumn. (Photo: Hydro Building Systems)
Alfredsson promises that Norway's royal family will be standing on solid ground - on aluminium - when they enter their private suite at Holmenkollen for the world championships.
And when Anette Sagen, Tom Hilde and the other ski jumpers zoom down Holmenkollbakken or the nearby Midtstubakken, they will be watched closely by commentators and competition officials who will also be following from new facades in aluminium and glass.
Alfredsson will not. He aims to follow the world championships on television from his living room at home in Sweden.
"It will be especially exciting to follow the telecasts from Holmenkollen this year," says Alfredsson, who adds that he is hoping for ski jumping records and a bushel full of medals for the Scandinavian athletes during the upcoming championships.
The 2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships will take place in Oslo from February 23-March 6.