Lysgårdsbakken

Lysgårdsbakken, officially known as Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena , is a ski jumping hill in Lillehammer, Norway. It consists of a large hill, with a K-point of 123 and a hill size of 138, and a small hill with a K-point of 90 and a hill size of 100. It opened in 1993 for the 1994 Winter Olympics, where it hosted the ski jumping and Nordic combined events, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. After the Olympics, ownership was transferred to the municipal Lillehammer Olympiapark and it has since been used for several FIS Ski Jumping World Cup and FIS Nordic Combined World Cup tournaments, including hosting the Nordic Tournament. It has a capacity for 35,000 spectators and is one of three national ski jumping hills in Norway. In 2007, the large hill was rebuilt to a larger profile, and received a new plastic lining. The venue sees 80,000 annual jumps in the winter and 20,000 in the summer season.

The plans which were approved when Lillehammer were awarded the 1994 Winter Olympics, involved using the existing Balbergbakken in Fåberg, north of Lillehammer. However, the venue was rejected by the broadcasting planners, and instead it was decided that an all-new venue would be built at Lysgård. Financing of the venue was given through a grant issued by the Parliament of Norway on 1 August 1990. Architects were Økaw Arkitekter, with Martin M. Bakken as the main contractor. Construction had already stated earlier in 1990, and it was completed by December 1992. The seating area was made with pre-fabricated concrete elements with metal bars. Temporary buildings and facilities for the opening ceremonies were installed in December 1993, and removed after the Olympics. This included 70 commentator boxes, a media center, and offices for technical personnel. The original construction included plastic on the outrun and porcelain tracks on the small hill, allowing jumping during summer. The venue was placed deep in the terrain to shield the jumpers from the wind while minimizing the venue's impact in the surroundings. The National Association of Norwegian Architects awarded the hill the 1993 Betongtavlen. In 2007, the large hill was renovated. The profile was expanded, increasing the K-point from 120 to 123. In addition, plastic way was laid, allowing both hills to be used during summer.

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