- Petter Northug
-
Petter Northug 
Personal information Full name Petter Northug Jr. Born 6 January 1986
Levanger, NorwayHeight 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Professional information Club Strindheim IL Skis Fischer World Cup Seasons 2005– Wins 10 Additional podiums 11 Total podiums 21 Medal record Men's cross country skiing Competitor for 
NorwayOlympic Games Gold 2010 Vancouver 50 km classical Gold 2010 Vancouver Team sprint Silver 2010 Vancouver 4×10 km relay Bronze 2010 Vancouver Individual sprint World Championships Gold 2007 Sapporo 4×10 km Gold 2009 Liberec 15 km + 15 km double pursuit Gold 2009 Liberec 50 km Gold 2009 Liberec 4×10 km Gold 2011 Oslo 15 km + 15 km double pursuit Gold 2011 Oslo 50 km Gold 2011 Oslo 4×10 km Silver 2011 Oslo Sprint Silver 2011 Oslo Team sprint Petter Northug Jr. (born 6 January 1986) is a Norwegian cross country skier and double Olympic champion. He has 9 World Championship and Winter Olympic gold medals with 13 medals overall, and nine individual FIS Cross-Country World Cup wins with 20 podium places. Northug is widely considered the world's best cross-country skier.
Contents
Early life and career
During his first years, Northug was generally considered a star of the future. Whilst he was still a junior Verdens Gang newspaper reported in November 2005 that "the ski manufacturers are fighting to get Northug".[1] Fischer won his signature, and his contract included a base salary (the first time ever for a junior), which would be multiplied by five if he made the Norwegian elite team for 2006/07, which he did. The contract also offered bonuses if he won medals in the junior World Championships.
Northug has six gold medals from junior World Championships. His first two gold medals came in 2004/05 in the pursuit and the 10 km freestyle in Rovaniemi, then in 2005/06 in Kranj he won gold in the 10 km classic, the pursuit, the sprint, and the relay. He also has two silver medals (one in the sprint, and one in the relay, both in 2004/05). His victories made him the first athlete ever to win five individual gold medals at the FIS Junior Nordic World Ski Championships. During 2005/06 he also took part in the Norwegian National Championships, and won the double pursuit race, beating Frode Estil by 1.9 seconds, and became the first junior to ever win a Norwegian National Championship.
Before he joined the World Cup he competed in a few Continental Cup meetings, but mostly in the Scandinavian Cup. During his Scandinavian Cup career (2004/05 & 2005/06) he had seven podium finishes, he came second once in 2004/05, and in 2005/06 he scored four victories, and two second places.
Athletic career
The 2005/06 season was Northug's first in the World Cup, although he competed in one race the season before, a sprint in Drammen, he came 35th. During the 2005/06 season he shared his time equally between the World Cup and the Scandinavian Cup, although in early May 2006 it was announced that Northug would be in the senior national team for the 2006/07 season.[2] Northug also claimed his first World Cup victory in the 2005/06 season, in a pursuit race in Falun, beating 2005/06 World Cup winner Tobias Angerer, who came second, and 2004/05 overall champion Axel Teichmann was third.[3] Then in the last race of the year, a pursuit in Sapporo he claimed another podium place, coming second.[4] He lost to Mathias Fredriksson by 3.8 seconds. He also came seventh, tenth, and twelfth in sprint races, and fifteenth in the 50 km freestyle in Holmenkollen. Northug finished the 2005/06 World Cup season in 14th place overall. He also finished 14th in the distance standings, and 24th in the sprint.[5]
After Norway's disappointing display at the 2006 Winter Olympics, the Norwegian press questioned why Northug was not taken to the games. Northug himself admitted he was disappointed after not getting selected, especially as he had won the double pursuit in the National Championships earlier in the year.[6]
Northug won his first gold medal at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo as a member of the 4 x 10 km relay in 2007. He added three more golds at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec, earning them in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit, 4 x 10 km relay and 50 km freestyle mass start.
Northug was the runner up to the overall World Cup in the 2008/2009 season, losing to the Swiss Dario Cologna after leading before the final races.
Northug finished in an extremely disappointing 41st place in the first Cross Country event during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. A day later, Northug responded with a bronze medal in the Sprint Event. This success was short lived however, as he broke his pole in the end of the 30 km pursuit. He then won his first Olympic gold, in the Team Sprint, alongside Øystein Pettersen.
Days later he was skiing the anchor leg in the 4 x 10 km relay. When he took over from Lars Berger who was skiing the 3rd leg, he was 37.5 seconds behind the lead group. Despite this he managed to perform his incredibly fast finish to catch and overtake France and the Czech Republic to win Norway a silver medal.
Northug won the Men's 50 kilometre classic at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Less than two weeks later, he won the 50 kilometre freestyle event at the Holmenkollen, becoming the first skier to win the 50 km at the Winter Olympics, World Championships, and Holmenkollen since Sweden's Gunde Svan reached that triple crown in 1988.
In September 2010 details of Northug's sponsorship contract with soft drink manufactuer Red Bull were publicized by Norwegian broadcaster TV 2, which did not divulge its sources, revealing the most profitable sponsorship agreement with an individual athlete in Norwegian history. For four years, until after the 2014 Winter Olympics, Northug will be receiving a minimum of NOK 1 million annually with a prospect of getting twice the amount if his performances equal those in his most recent seasons.[7] During the 2011 World Championship, he gained widespread international attention when he controversially crossed the finish-line sideways after convincingly beating his opponents. The gesture was regarded as utterly disrespectful, most notably towards his most fierce rival, Marcus Hellner.
Personal life
He has two brothers, Even and Tomas.[8] Northug finished school in 2006, but during the summer of 2005 he changed schools from Steinkjer to Meråker and moved into a cabin next to the ski trails to optimize his training conditions.[9]
Petter Northug participated and cashed (on 653rd place) in the 2010 World Series of Poker main event.
Career highlights
- Olympic Games
- 2010 Vancouver
1st, 50 km classic - 2010 Vancouver
3rd, Sprint classic - 2010 Vancouver 1st, Team sprint (with Øystein Pettersen)
- 2010 Vancouver
2nd, 4x10 km relay (with Johnsrud Sundby / Hjelmeset / Berger)
- FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
- 2011 - Oslo 1st, 50 km freestyle
- 2011 - Oslo 1st, 4x10 km relay (with Johnsrud Sundby / Rønning / Gjerdalen)
- 2011 - Oslo 1st, 30 km pursuit
- 2011 - Oslo 2nd, 1.5 km freestyle sprint
- 2011 - Oslo 2nd, Team sprint (with Ola Vigen Hattestad)
- 2009 - Liberec 1st, 50 km freestyle
- 2009 - Liberec 1st, 4x10 km relay (with Ruud Hofstad / Hjelmeset / Rønning)
- 2009 - Liberec 1st, 2x15 km pursuit
- 2007 - Sapporo 1st, 4x10 km relay (with Rønning / Hjelmeset / Berger)
- 2007 - Sapporo 7th, team sprint (with Tor Arne Hetland)
- 2007 - Sapporo 5th, 2x15 km pursuit
- 2007 - Sapporo 24th, 15 km freestyle
- FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships
- 2005 - Rovaniemi 1st, 2x10 km pursuit
- 2005 - Rovaniemi 1st, 10 km freestyle
- 2005 - Rovaniemi 2nd, classic sprint
- 2005 - Rovaniemi 2nd, 4x5 km relay (with Markset / Hafsås / Svendsen)
- 2006 - Kranj 1st, 1 km freestyle sprint
- 2006 - Kranj 1st, 10 km classic
- 2006 - Kranj 1st, 2x10 km pursuit
- 2006 - Kranj 1st, 4x5 km relay (with Elvestad / Olsen / Sæves)
- Tour de Ski
- 2006/2007 - 4th
- 2007/2008 - 8th
- 2008/2009 - 2nd
- 2009/2010 - 2nd
- 2010/2011 - 2nd
- Overall World Cup
- 2005/2006 - 14th
- 2006/2007 - 7th
- 2007/2008 - 12th
- 2008/2009 - 2nd
- 2009/2010 - 1st
- World Cup podiums
- 2006 - Falun 1st, 2x10 km pursuit
- 2006 - Sapporo 2nd, 2x15 km pursuit
- 2006 - La Clusaz 2nd, 4x10 km relay (with Hetland / Rønning / Bjørndalen)
- 2007 - Asiago 3rd, 1.2 km freestyle sprint
- 2007 - Lahti 1st, 1.2 km freestyle sprint
- 2008 - Asiago 1st, 1.2 km freestyle sprint
- 2008 - Gällivare 3rd, 15 km freestyle
- 2008 - Gällivare 1st, 4x10 km relay
- 2008 - La Clusaz 1st, 30 km freestyle mass start
- 2008 - La Clusaz 1st, 4x10 km relay (with Hetland / Sundby / Gjerdalen)
- 2009 - Lahti 1st, 1.2 km freestyle sprint
- 2009 - Trondheim 2nd, 1.2 km classical sprint
- 2009 - Kuusamo 1st, 15 km classical
- 2009 - Rogla 1st, classical sprint
- 2009 - Rogla 1st, 30 km classical mass start
- 2010 - Drammen 2nd, classical sprint
- 2010 - Holmenkollen 1st, 50 km freestyle mass start
References
- ^ "Skifabrikkene sloss om Northug - VG Nett om Langrenn". Vg.no. 2005-01-01. http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=297113. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "resultats". FIS-Ski. http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=CC&competitorid=89637&raceid=10247. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ "resultats". FIS-Ski. 2006-03-19. http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=CC&competitorid=89637&raceid=8857. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ "standings". FIS-Ski. http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1467.html?sector=CC&suchseason=2006&suchcup=WC&suchgender=M. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ "Så mye tjener Northug på sin Red Bull-avtale" (in Norwegian). TV 2. September 24, 2010. http://www.tv2sporten.no/ovrig/saa-mye-tjener-northug-paa-sin-red-bullavtale-3297968.html. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "Petter Northug Jr". Teamnorthug.no. http://www.teamnorthug.no/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=131. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ [3][dead link]
External links
- Petter Northug, jr. at the International Ski Federation
- Official website (Norwegian)
Awards Preceded by
Andreas ThorkildsenNorwegian Sportsperson of the Year
2009Succeeded by
Thor HushovdOlympic champions in men's 50 km cross-country 1924: Thorleif Haug (NOR) * 1928: Per-Erik Hedlund (SWE) * 1932: Veli Saarinen (FIN) * 1936: Elis Wiklund (SWE) * 1948: Nils Karlsson (SWE) * 1952: Veikko Hakulinen (FIN) * 1956: Sixten Jernberg (SWE) * 1960: Kalevi Hämäläinen (FIN) * 1964: Sixten Jernberg (SWE) * 1968: Ole Ellefsæter (NOR) * 1972: Pål Tyldum (NOR) * 1976: Ivar Formo (NOR) * 1980: Nikolay Zimyatov (URS) * 1984: Thomas Wassberg (SWE) * 1988: Gunde Svan (SWE) * 1992: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) * 1994: Vladimir Smirnov (KAZ) * 1998: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) * 2002: Mikhail Ivanov (RUS) * 2006: Giorgio Di Centa (ITA) * 2010: Petter Northug (NOR)Olympic champions in men's team sprint cross country 2006: Sweden (Thobias Fredriksson & Björn Lind) * 2010: Norway (Øystein Pettersen & Petter Northug)
10 km + 15 km combined 1993: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) * 1995: Vladmir Smirnov (KAZ) * 1997: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) * 1999: Thomas Alsgaard (NOR)10 km + 10 km combined 2001: Per Elofsson (SWE)10 km + 10 km double 2003: Per Elofsson (SWE)15 km + 15 km double 2005: Vincent Vittoz (FRA) * 2007: Axel Teichmann (GER) * 2009: Petter Northug (NOR) * 2011: Petter Northug (NOR)1925: František Donth (TCH) • 1926: Matti Raivio (FIN) • 1927: John Lindgren (SWE) • 1929: Anselm Knuuttila (FIN) • 1930: Sven Utterström (SWE) • 1931: Ole Stenen (NOR) • 1933: Veli Saarinen (FIN) • 1934: Elis Wiklund (SWE) • 1935: Nils-Joel Englund (SWE) • 1937: Pekka Niemi (FIN) • 1938: Kalle Jalkanen (FIN) • 1939: Lars Bergendahl (NOR) • 1950: Gunnar Eriksson (SWE) • 1954: Vladimir Kuzin (URS) • 1958: Sixten Jernberg (SWE) • 1962: Sixten Jernberg (SWE) • 1966: Gjermund Eggen (NOR) • 1970: Kalevi Oikarainen (FIN) • 1974: Gerhard Grimmer (GDR) • 1978: Sven-Åke Lundbäck (SWE) • 1982: Thomas Wassberg (SWE) • 1985: Gunde Svan (SWE) • 1987: Maurilio De Zolt (ITA) • 1989: Gunde Svan (SWE) • 1991: Torgny Mogren (SWE) • 1993: Torgny Mogren (SWE) • 1995: Silvio Fauner (ITA) • 1997: Mika Myllylä (FIN) • 1999: Mika Myllylä (FIN) • 2001: Johann Mühlegg (ESP) • 2003: Martin Koukal (CZE) • 2005: Frode Estil (NOR) • 2007: Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (NOR) • 2009: Petter Northug (NOR) • 2011: Petter Northug (NOR)
Categories:- 1986 births
- Cross-country skiers at the 2010 Winter Olympics
- Holmenkollen winners
- Living people
- Norwegian cross-country skiers
- Olympic cross-country skiers of Norway
- Olympic bronze medalists for Norway
- Olympic gold medalists for Norway
- Olympic silver medalists for Norway
- People from Mosvik
- Olympic medalists in cross-country skiing
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