Excerpts from Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten article on November 21, 3003:
Val di Fiemme 2003 Fifty kilometer World Champion, Martin Koukal (25) of the Czech Republic is aiming high this season. This spring he is planning on climbing the 8201-meter high Cho Oyo Mountain in Tibet. He wants to win the overall World Cup before he does that.
“It was great to become the World Champion, but is has not changed me. I want to remain being an “average†guyâ€. It looks like he has succeeded in that. He greats the paper casually dressed and bare feet.
Most experts expects that the Swedes lead by Per Elofsson and World Cup winner Mathias Fredriksson as well as sprint World Cup winner Tobias Fredriksson will be skiing fast this winter.
‘I believe that as well†says Koukal after beating all of them last weekend in the Swedish opening weekend.
“The margins were small. I was only six seconds ahead of Mathias in second. It was only 13 seconds separating the top sixâ€.
Local Hero
Popular Martin grew up in the small town Zdar nad Sazavou in Moavia, Czech Republic.
The town’s population is 25,000. 10,000 of them showed up at the town-square when he returned from Val de Fiemme.
“I have got lots of media attention – almost too much. I have made more money than in the past, but I’m not rich. I made roughly a teacher’s salary last season. The Ski Federation supported me with roughly $5000â€, says Koukal that’s building a house in his hometown this spring.
Koukal started playing Hockey when he was four years old and did some skiing as well. He put the ice skates away at age 13 and focused on skiing.
He has medalled at the World Junior Championship and been on the winning relay team at the same event.
He skied his first World Championship event in Trondheim in 1997. He placed 27th at age 18! He has improved greatly from that and became the World Champion last season. He is among the favorites to win this year’s World Cup.
‘Yes, I have read that on the Internet, but my goal is (first) to win one World Cup race. I have still not done thatâ€
