Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset

Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (born 6 December 1971 in Nordfjordeid) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier who competed from 1993 to 2012.

Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset
Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset during the Royal Palace Sprint in Stockholm, Sweden in March 2007
Country Norway
Full nameOdd-Bjørn Hjelmeset
Born (1971-12-06) 6 December 1971 (age 52)
Vereide, Norway
Ski clubFjellhug/Vereide IL
World Cup career
Seasons20 – (19932012)
Starts140
Podiums21
Wins9
Overall titles0 – (3rd in 2000)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2010 Vancouver4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place2002 Salt Lake City50 km classical
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2001 Lahti4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place2005 Oberstdorf4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place2007 Sapporo50 km classical
Gold medal – first place2007 Sapporo4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place2009 Liberec4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place1999 Ramsau10 km classical
Bronze medal – third place2001 Lahti15 km classical
Bronze medal – third place2005 Oberstdorf50 km classical
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place1991 Reit im Winkl4 × 10 km relay

A classical technique specialist, Hjelmeset's biggest success is the gold medal in the 50 km event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo. At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships he won eight medals (all in the classical style). This includes five gold medals (50 km: 2007, 4 × 10 km relay: 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009) and three bronze medals (1999: 10 km, 2001: 15 km, and 2005: 50 km).

Hjelmeset has also competed on the national level in athletics, and won the bronze medal at the Norwegian championships in the 3000 metre steeplechase in 1996 and 1999.[1]

The 2007 season was Hjelmeset's best. He won two gold medals at the World Championships in Sapporo, then a World Cup race in Lahti, before winning the 50 km individual start in Holmenkollen where he had won the sprint event in 2000. Hjelmeset was awarded the Holmenkollen medal in 2007 (Shared with Frode Estil, King Harald V, and Queen Sonja).

He retired after he failed to qualify for the 2011 Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo. He last World Cup race was the 50 kilometre at the 2012 Holmenkollen Ski Festival, where he finished 52nd.[2]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[3]

Olympic Games

  • 2 medals – (1 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year  Age  15 km  Pursuit  30 km  50 km  Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
20023020Bronze
200634275
20103817Silver

World Championships

  • 8 medals – (5 gold, 3 bronze)
 Year  Age  10 km  15 km  Pursuit  30 km  50 km  Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
199927Bronze1728
200129Bronze5Gold
20033110DNF8
200533DNFBronze5Gold
200735Gold7Gold
20093715Gold

World Cup

Season standings

 Season  Age Discipline standingsSki Tour standings
OverallDistanceLong DistanceMiddle DistanceSprintNordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
199321100
199422NC
19952377
19962448
199725383446
199826201127
199927172911
200028 175
200129513
2002302574
2003312526
200432353426
200533141719
200634183914
2007355 16DNF
20083618124022
2009377245NC
2010389857NC
20113912476
201240NCNC

Individual podiums

  • 9 victories (8 WC, 1 SWC)
  • 21 podiums (19 WC, 2 SWC)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
1 1997–98 13 March 1998 Oslo, Norway50 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
2 1998–99 22 February 1999 Ramsau, Austria10 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]3rd
31999–0027 November 1999 Kiruna, Sweden15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
427 December 1999 Engelberg, Switzerland1.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
528 February 2000 Stockholm, Sweden1.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
68 March 2000 Oslo, Norway1.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
717 March 2000 Bormio, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
82000–0125 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
920 December 2000 Davos, Switzerland30 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
101 February 2001 Asiago, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
11 2003–04 18 February 2004 Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
12 2004–05 13 February 2005 Reit im Winkl, Germany1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
1312 March 2005 Oslo, Norway50 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
142005–0622 January 2006 Oberstdorf, Germany1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
15 2006–07 25 November 2006 Rukatunturi, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
1627 January 2007 Otepää, Estonia15 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
1711 March 2007 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1817 March 2007 Oslo, Norway50 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
19 2007–08 8 December 2007 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
2028 December 2007 Nové Město, Czech Republic4.5 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
215 January 2008 Val di Fiemme, Italy20 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st

Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

Team podiums

  • 8 victories (8 RL)
  • 17 podiums (16 RL, 1 TS)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammate(s)
1 1996–97 9 March 1997 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSkaanes / Sørgård / Alsgaard
2 1998–99 10 January 1999 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdJevne / Jermstad / Hetland
321 March 1999 Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup1stEstil / Bjervig / Aukland
41999–0019 December 1999 Davos, Switzerland4 x 10 km Relay CWorld Cup1stJevne / Bjervig / Estil
513 January 2000 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 ×10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stJevne / Skjeldal / Alsgaard
62000–0126 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stBjonviken / Skjeldal / Hetland
72001–0224 November 2001 Kuopio, Finland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stJevne / Bjerkeli / Hetland
8 2002–03 8 December 2002 Davos, Switzerland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdEstil / Skjeldal / Bjervig
9 2003–04 23 November 2003 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSvartedal / Berger / Hofstad
1022 February 2004 Umeå, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndEstil / Skjeldal / Hofstad
116 March 2004 Lahti, Finland6 × 1.0 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup3rdSvartedal
122004–0512 December 2004 Lago di Tesero, Italy4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSvartedal / Estil / Hofstad
1320 March 2005 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSvartedal / Skjeldal / Hofstad
14 2005–06 15 January 2006 Lago di Tesero, Italy4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdSvartedal / Gjerdalen / Hofstad
152006–0725 March 2007 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stPettersen / Estil / Northug
16 2007–08 23 November 2007 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndRønning / Eilifsen / Gjerdalen
1724 February 2008 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSvartedal / Østensen / Gjerdalen

References

Media related to Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset at Wikimedia Commons