Two days before his WC debut, Alva Thors has performed his first training session in Planica. The slope training went well even though she jumped with brand new skis on a slope where she crashed a month ago.
The 17-year-old WC debutant from Vörå was the best of the three Finns during all training rounds. With her jumps around 80 meters in the normal slope, she finished slightly outside the top 20 in each round among 32 participants.
Thors fell after her jump on the same hill a month ago at the European Youth Olympic Festival, but that didn’t worry her ahead of today’s training. However, it was exciting to jump with a pair of brand new skis.
– Actually, I was a little nervous. It is perhaps not optimal to test new skis when you come to the WC, but it went well, says a smiling Thors.
After the morning’s downhill training, the combined ladies will be tested on the competition tracks for the first time. Thors has previously roller skied on the track and knows the profile. According to her, the 2.5 kilometer loop that is used in all competitions in the Nordic combination contains nothing remarkable.
– It is not particularly heavy. Heavy tracks are always there when you are at World Cup and WC level, but there is nothing special about this one.
The WC slope in Planica.
Picture: Tomi HÃnninen – Chilipictures
WC in Nordic skiing 2023
Thors, who earlier this winter debuted in the World Cup with a 20th place, have realistic opportunities to fight for similar positions in their World Cup debut on Friday. With a full hit, she may even do better in the WC than in the JVM a few weeks ago where she finished 17th.
In addition to high school and all the competition trips, during an eventful start to the year, Thors also had time to participate in Sportliv, where she bravely talked about her loneliness during junior high school. After the program was published, she has received a lot of response.
– Yes, some have probably heard. I’ve only had positive comments about it, so that’s heartwarming.
Now it’s still a tense wait before the WC debut that applies.
– Of course it’s a bit edgy, but it’s edgy in a good way. Yes, I think it’s good to be a little nervous, that way you’re also sharper.
If Thors does well in the individual competition, she will be eligible for Sunday’s mixed team competition, which is on the WC program for the first time. There she will likely compete together with Minja Korhonen, Ilkka Herola and Eero Hirvonen.
