Riiber Misses Season Opener at Beitostølen

Originally published in Eurosport on October 15, 2024

Riiber Misses Season Opener at Beitostølen

Combined star Jarl Magnus Riiber will not participate in the season opener at Beitostølen due to complications from a painful wisdom tooth, which was removed a few weeks ago. Despite his hopes to compete, Riiber has been experiencing significant pain and complications from the surgery.

The events at Beitostølen, where one of the races holds national championship status, are set to take place on November 23 and 24. However, since Riiber was unable to participate in the recent jumping events in Granåsen, he will also miss the chance to compete in Beitostølen.

Sport chief Ivar Stuan confirmed the situation saying, "He has had significant issues with a wisdom tooth. It has been very painful, and he simply couldn’t compete because of it." After the extraction, there were complications such as inflammation, preventing Riiber from being fully ready for competition.

With Beitostølen approaching, the focus shifts now to ensuring he is fit for the World Cup opening in Ruka, Finland, at the end of November. Stuan expressed the importance of having Riiber ready for the World Cup and deemed it crucial for his and the team's overall strategy this season, especially with the World Championships set to take place later.

In upcoming events, local competitor Espen Bjørnstad excelled at the Granåsen jumps, indicating a competitive field in the national championships.

Focus on World Cup

Stuan made it clear that despite Riiber's absence at Beitostølen, the priority remains on getting him ready for the World Cup at Ruka, emphasizing the need for a smooth transition post-recovery. The team believes in maximizing Riiber's readiness for the World Cup despite the setbacks from this injury.