October 17, 2008 (Olso, Norway) – A major part of the preparations for the 2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo (Nor) is the rebuilding of the ski stadium at Holmenkollen. Key to this modernization process is the reconstruction of the large jumping hill which, as well as the construction of a new normal hill at Midtstuen, is scheduled to be completed in time for the test events in 2010.

The tower of the jumping hill at Holmenkollen, the 56-meter-high landmark of Oslo, will be dismantled on Thursday, October 16 as of 16:30 CET. There will be no explosion however. Instead, the plan calls for a controlled piece by piece ‘peeling off’ of the different parts of the high-standing tower construction. The Ski Museum, located at the bottom of the hill facility, will not be impacted. The de-construction of the lower part started already in September, with taking to pieces of the tribunes and judges’ tower.

Deconstruction of the tower will begin with the start house, the so-called diamond, on Thursday. By December, the entire tower will have been dismantled. To get a glimpse of the different phases of the complex operation, click here to view a computer animation.

The start of the de-construction on October 16 will be a press and public event, and it is expected that the construction site will be a public attraction in itself. Thursday’s event as well as progress of the construction can also be followed on a webcam here.