Tor Arne Hetland

Tor Arne Hetland (born 12 January 1974) is a Norwegian cross-country skiing coach and a former professional cross-country skier.

Tor Arne Hetland
Tor Arne Hetland (right) and Jens Arne Svartedal
Country Norway
Born (1974-01-12) 12 January 1974 (age 50)
Stavanger, Norway
Spouse(s)
(m. 2004)
Ski clubByåsen IL
World Cup career
Seasons15 – (19952009)
Starts169
Podiums35
Wins13
Overall titles0 – (3rd in 2005 and 2006)
Discipline titles1 – (1 SP)
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
International nordic ski competitions
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games110
World Championships311
Total421
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2002 Salt Lake CityIndividual sprint
Silver medal – second place2006 TurinTeam sprint
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2001 LahtiIndividual sprint
Gold medal – first place2001 Lahti4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place2005 OberstdorfTeam sprint
Silver medal – second place2005 OberstdorfIndividual sprint
Bronze medal – third place2003 Val di FiemmeIndividual sprint
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place1993 Harrachov4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place1994 Breitenwang4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place1994 Breitenwang30 km freestyle

Hetland was born in Stavanger. He now lives in Trondheim. While active he represented Byåsen IL ski club. He was coached by Ulf Morten Aune. Hetland is 6 ft 2 in and 12 st 10 lb (178 lb).

World Cup career

Hetland began his career in 1990, but only started competing in the World Cup in 1996/97, where he finished 11th in the long distance standings and 46th in the sprint, finishing 30th in the overall standings.[1] The year after he did much worse, coming 42nd in the long distance, and 78th in the sprint, finishing 62nd overall. For the next three seasons he improved his overall standing and became a main contender in the sprint. In 1998/99 he came second in the sprints, and 23rd in the overall, in 1999/2000 he came fourth in the sprints but had a better long distance season than the one before, and in 2000/01 he came third in the sprints and 12th overall. In 2001/02 he came 13th in the overall standing, whilst finishing the sprint in sixth, and in 2003/04 he came fourth in the sprint, and claimed his first distance points, coming in 37th, and 14th in the overall. The following season, 2004/05, was Hetland's most successful year to date, winning the sprint title, and coming third in the overall standings.

Hetland finished the 2005/06 FIS World Cup season in third place, 259 points behind Tobias Angerer, and 7 points behind fellow countryman Jens Arne Svartedal. He finished third in the sprints, 163 points behind Björn Lind, and 20 points behind Thobias Fredriksson. He was 20th in the distance standings, 632 points behind Angerer.

Hetland has had 23 podium finishes in his World Cup career, 10 in first place, 10 in second place and three in third place. He has podiumed at least once every season since 1996/97, except for 1997/98 and 1999/2000. The most podium finishes he has had in one season was in 2004/05 when he had five. He had four in 2005/06 and three for three consecutive seasons from 2000/01. Of his 23 podium finishes all but three have come in sprints. His first non sprint podium was in 1996/97, when he came second in a 50 km race. In 2000/01 he came third in a 15 km race and on 19 November 2005 he won his first distance race (15 km) in Beitostølen, Norway. The victory on this particular course was no great shock as the Beitostølen track is very flat as the tracks on the cross country circuit goes, and when taken into consideration that the Norwegian athletes, much like the larger teams like the Germans and Russians, are expected to be in near top condition at the beginning of the season so as to secure team selection. His victory in the sprint event in Vernon, Canada on 12 December 2005, was his 100th career race.

Retirement

Hetland announced his retirement the week of 27 April 2009 to a lingering knee injury and asthma. He stated that he "...[felt]... like I am quitting like I am top".

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[1]

Olympic Games

  • 2 medals – (1 gold, 1 silver)
 Year  Age  10 km  15 km  Pursuit  30 km  50 km  Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
19982424
20022849Gold
2006323310Silver

World Championships

  • 5 medals – (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year  Age  10 km  15 km  Pursuit  30 km  50 km  Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
19992517
2001277DNSGoldGold
200329Bronze
200531SilverGold
200732187
20093422

World Cup

Season titles

  • 1 title – (1 sprint)
Season
Discipline
2005Sprint

Season standings

 Season  Age Discipline standingsSki Tour standings
OverallDistanceLong DistanceMiddle DistanceSprintTour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
199521NC
199622NC
199723301146
199824634278
1999252324
2000261822524
20012712
200228136
2003299
20043014374
200531 61
200632 20
20073342145
20083461655DNF
2009351958 42

Individual podiums

  • 13 victories (11 WC, 2 SWC)
  • 35 podiums (30 WC, 5 SWC)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
11995–964 February 1996 Reit im Winkl, Germany1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
2 1996–97 15 March 1997 Oslo, Norway50 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
31998–9927 December 1998 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
428 December 1998    Engelberg, Switzerland1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
5 2000–01 8 December 2000 Santa Caterina, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
628 December 2000    Engelberg, Switzerland1.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
729 December 20001.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
8 2001–02 9 December 2001 Cogne, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
927 December 2001 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
1029 December 2001 Salzburg, Austria1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
11 2002–03 26 October 2002 Düsseldorf, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
1211 December 2002 Clusone, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
1315 December 2002 Cogne, Italy1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
14 2003–04 26 February 2004 Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
15 2004–05 23 October 2004 Düsseldorf, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
164 December 2004    Bern, Switzerland1.35 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
1714 December 2004 Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
185 March 2005 Lahti, Finland1.4 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
199 March 2005 Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
20 2005–06 22 October 2004 Düsseldorf, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
2119 November 2005 Beitostølen, Norway15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
2211 December 2005 Vernon, Canada1.3 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
238 January 2006 Otepää, Estonia1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
24 2006–07 28 October 2006 Düsseldorf, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
2525 November 2006 Rukatunturi, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
2613 December 2006 Cogne, Italy15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
285 January 2007 Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
2815 February 2007 Changchun, China1.3 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
292007–0815 December 2007 Rybinsk, Russia30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
3030 December 2007 Prague, Czech Republic1.0 km Sprint FStage World Cup3rd
314 January 2008 Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup3rd
32 2008–09 29 November 2008 Rukatunturi, Finland1.4 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
3320 December 2008 Düsseldorf, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
3429 December 2008 Prague, Czech Republic1.3 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
3520 December 2008 Nové Město, Czech Republic1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup2nd

Team podiums

  • 12 victories – (8 RL, 4 TS)
  • 24 podiums – (15 RL, 9 TS)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammate(s)
11995–9617 March 1996 Oslo, Norway4 × 5 km Relay FWorld Cup1stBjonviken / Estil / Andersen
2 1997–98 10 March 1998 Falun, Sweden10 × 1.6 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup2ndTorseth
3 1998–99 29 November 1998 Muonio, Finland4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup2ndBjørndalen / Skjeldal / Dæhlie
420 December 1998 Davos, Switzerland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stBjervig / Jevne / Dæhlie
510 January 1999 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdHjelmeset / Jevne / Jermstad
6 1999–00 28 November 1999 Kiruna, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup2ndBjervig / Skjeldal / Alsgaard
72000–0126 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stBjonviken / Hjelmeset / Skjeldal
89 December 2000 Santa Caterina, Italy4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stEstil / Skjeldal / Alsgaard
92001–0227 November 2001 Kuopio, Finland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stHjelmeset / Jevne / Bjerkeli
1016 December 2001 Davos, Switzerland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdEstil / Jevne / Alsgaard
11 2002–03 24 November 2002 Kiruna, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSkjeldal / Aukland / Alsgaard
12 2003–04 26 October 2003 Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rdBjerkeli
137 December 2003 Toblach, Italy6 × 1.2 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup1stBjerkeli
1414 December 2003 Davos, Switzerland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stAukland / Estil / Skjeldal
152004–0524 October 2004 Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup1stBjerkeli
165 December 2004 Bern, Switzerland6 × 1.1 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup2ndSvartedal
1715 December 2004 Asiago, Italy6 × 1.2 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup1stSvartedal
18 2005–06 23 October 2005 Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rdRønning
1920 November 2005 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdRønning / Svartedal / Hofstad
20 2006–07 17 December 2006 La Clusaz, France4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndRønning / Bjørndalen / Northug
21 2007–08 28 October 2007 Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup2ndKjølstad
2225 November 2007 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSundby / Svartedal / Hofstad
232008–097 December 2008 La Clusaz, France4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSundby / Gjerdalen / Northug
2421 December 2008 Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup1stHattestad

References

  • FIS Newsflash 229. 29 April 2009. - accessed 30 April 2009.