Bjørn Rune Gjelsten

Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (born 17 September, 1956 in Tomrefjord) is a Norweigan businessman and Offshore powerboat racing World Champion

Gjelsten made his powerboat racing debut in 1994 in the U.S., winning his first race in Jacksonville with throttleman Jim Dyke. In 1996 he formed Class 1's most successful partnership with English man Steve Curtis, which in the "Spirit of Norway" the pair took: [ [http://www.class1uk.co.uk/teams/sofn/gjelsten.php Bjorn Rune Gjelsten - Spirit Of Norway Driver ] ]

*The World Championship - 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004
*The European Championship - 1998, 2002, 2003
*The Middle East Championship - 2003, 2004
*The Pole Position Championship - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Curtis was awarded the Segrave Trophy in 2003, and the committee presented Gjelsten with a Segrave Certificate. In 2004 Gjelsten retired to concentrate on his businesses, and sold the "Spirit of Norway" team to Bard Eker, who won the 2005 Championship with Curtis. In 2006, Gjelsten bought back the team from Eker, and won the 2006 Championship with Curtis.

In 2002, Gjelsten and his business partner Kjell Inge Røkke moved Wimbledon Football Club from London to Milton Keynes in 2002, resulting in the Wimbledon fans forming their own club, AFC Wimbledon.

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