- Eskil Ervik
Eskil Ervik (born
11 January 1975 inTrondheim ) is a former Norwegian speedskater. Ervik's best distance is traditionally the 5000-m, where he for several years was among the very best of the world, but his top priority for the most part of his career was to perform optimally in the allround championships. His retirement from top international speedskating was announced in April 2007.Ervik won bronze at the World Allround Championships in
Hamar in 1999 and silver at the European Allround Championships in 2000 and 2006, again in Hamar. As of January 2007, he has won the Norwegian allround championships seven times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), and has also won a string of Norwegian single distance championships titles.Under American coach Peter Mueller, Ervik enjoyed a new spring as a speed skater – on
15 October 2005 , he set a new world outdoor record on the 3000 meters, finishing at 3:44.90 in Inzell, and on5 November 2005, he set the world record (indoor or outdoor) on that distance in Calgary with a time of 3:37.28. [http://oval.sunergon.com/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/146/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/58/Norwegians-set-world-record-and-junior-world-record-at-Olympic-Oval.aspx Norwegians set world record and junior world record at Olympic Oval] ] Eight days later in Calgary, he broke the world record on the 5000 meters, finishing in 6:12.19, on that occasion also being the first skater ever to do the 5000 meters with all lap times below 30 seconds. This was a short-lived world record, though, sinceChad Hedrick skated faster in the next race.Ervik's highest ranking on the all-time best-ever
Adelskalender list was a 4th place, a position he held briefly on 4 December 2005, when he became the second skater ever to race a 10,000-m below 13 minutes (but 12.52 seconds laterEnrico Fabris overtook his 4th rank position). Ervik was for several years the best Norwegian on the Adelskalender, untilHåvard Bøkko passed him in March 2007. At the time of his retirement from speedskating, Ervik held the 8th position at the Adelskalender.In "Top Gear Winter Olympics Special"
Jeremy Clarkson raced withJaguar XK8 against Ervik.Ervik currently works as head of the marketing department at the
Storhamar Dragons front office.External links
* [http://www.skateresults.com/skater/show/1240 Eskil Ervik at SkateResults.com]
* [http://www.skoytesport.no/filarkiv/artikler/2007/landslag2008_2007-04-19.htm Eskil Ervik announces his retirement]
* [http://www.fotos.desg.de/athletes.php?showAthletes=all&id=352 Photos of Eskil Ervik]
* [http://www.skoytesport.no/filarkiv/artikler/2006/dikt_2006-12-07.htm Poem and sculpture inspired by Ervik]
* [http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Speed_skating/message/37812 Exit Ervik]References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
