JEONGSEON, South Korea -- They are called the "Attacking Vikings," and the Norwegians lived up to their moniker as they took a one-two finish in the men's downhill in near-perfect conditions.
There is clearly no substitute for experience when it comes to the men's marquee events at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. A day after Shaun White won his third gold medal in the men's halfpipe, 35-year-old Aksel Lund Svindal etched his name in history, becoming the first Norwegian gold-medal winner in the downhill. He sits in the armchair of greatness as the oldest man to win a gold in Olympic alpine history.
But age was at the back of his mind, the body and mind young, as the honor of becoming the oldest alpine gold medalist barely hit home.
"That's all good, but there's something about the pressure you put on yourself as well: How bad you want it," Svendal said. "I think that's a thing you think about after, but right now it's just the emotions when you cross the finish line and you see that you're ahead, and that's bigger than any record."
The delayed competition -- it was originally scheduled for Saturday -- was all over and done with by the 17th run, when Vincent Kriechmayr was unable to catch the three who eventually stood on the podium, including Svindal's teammate, Kjetil Jansrud, who earned the silver. "[A] perfect Norwegian day," was how Jansrud described it. The pre-race favorite was Switzerland's Beat Feuz, who left with bronze.
On a patch of land on the side of Mount Gariwang, which back in the 15th century was used to grow ginseng for the ruling Chosun Dynasty, Svindal flew down the run in a time of 1 minute, 40.25 seconds, a course carved out in between the sacred trees seen as symbols for fertility in this part of the world. Svindal's past two years have been blighted by knee injuries; he skipped the slalom section of the combined back on Tuesday to safeguard against further wear and tear. He has a checkered injury history to match his on-snow achievements. After tearing an Achilles and then an ACL, he ripped a meniscus in January 2017. But a little more than a year later, he stood atop the podium. The South Korean Olympics is a country for old men.
There's something slightly intimidating about this nickname they feed off. Focused on unity, teamwork, the Norwegian alpine team trains together, using collective motivation to drive individual claims for gold. Ski as one, win as a team, is the essence. The genesis happened in 1992 when Norway, fed up of having no podiums in alpine skiing for 40 years, dominated the Albertville Games with Kjetil Andre Aamodt and Finn Christian Jugge winning two gold and two bronze medals. The Attacking Vikings were born.
The moniker was at risk of becoming an anachronism, one of those sporting albatrosses of yesteryear linked with previous success, but then in 2010 they started channeling that attacking spirit once again, sporting the nickname on baseball caps in Vancouver. The culture lived on, dominance followed and now gold and silver to add to the ever-burgeoning trophy cabinet.
"Team spirit has always been good," Jansrud said. "We've had a lot of times where we share the podium together, the team is super strong. We push each other in training, and to experience something like this is amazing. It is a testimony to the way we work, also to the team. You race yourself, but from a team perspective to make it all to come together in the Olympics is the perfect way of showing people where we want to be."
Those watching from outside the Attacking Vikings tent, including bronze medalist Feuz, spoke of how they have been ahead for "years and years," while Canada's Manuel Osborne-Paradis spoke admirably of the Norwegians unity and collective drive. "They're salt of the earth, they're happy and I'm so pleased for them," he said. "They're a small team, and I think that helps. Their World Cup is the most professional and best it can be, and they don't lose sight of that."
Osborne-Paradis finished 14th. Bryce Bennett was the top ranked U.S. skier, in 16th. But though the final throes of the downhill seem like an afterthought, medals long assigned, when you have an event in which 53 compete, there are myriad subplots, personal stories of beaming pride in having taken part in an Olympic event. Take Ireland's Patrick McMillan, who finished 52nd; he is probably still smiling now. Then there was Chile's Henrik von Appen, who slotted in at 34th. "It is such an honor to ski for Chile," he said. "First being the flag-bearer, and now this." The Korean interest peaked in Kim Dong Woo, running in 53rd. Cheers went up, flags waved, but a lingering feeling of chances missed that they had just one representative here in the marquee event. Then there was Bolivia's Simon Breitfuss Kammerlander, who started last and finished 47th. The stands a little more sparse than at the start, but still memories to clasp close.
It was a wonderful occasion, under the beating Korean sun, but there were few to witness it. "That was a bit strange," Svindal said of the small crowd, but it was out of his control. He paid tribute to the organizers for postponing it on Saturday. There was wind up at the top of the course, one jump reaching 43 meters seemed particularly difficult to navigate, but as they stormed over the final corner, coming into the spectators' vision, the roar goes up, all manner of music following from the James Bond theme to more customary floor-fillers. But still, it was a shame not more were there to witness this astonishing event.
Memories aplenty, but this was a day for Norway. Svindal is unlikely to have another Olympics in him -- "this is the beginning of the end for me" -- but thoughts now switch to the Super-G. This was a win for Svindal, and for the Attacking Vikings. "Those feelings are stronger than the history ever written."