Aksel Gresvig
Encyclopedia
Aksel Gresvig was a Norwegian track cyclist
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....

, sports administrator and businessman. He started a bicycle shop in Oslo in 1901, which later developed into the largest chain of sports shops in Scandinavia.

Early and personal life

Aksel Johan Andersen was born in Græsvig
Gressvik
Gressvik is a village located in the municipality of Fredrikstad, Norway.The river named Seut separates Gressvik from the city of Fredrikstad. Gressvik stretches from Ørebekk in the north, to Rød/Viker in the south....

 in Onsø
Onsøy
Onsøy is a peninsula and a former municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre was Gressvik.-History:The parish of Onsø was established as a municipality January 1, 1838...

, a peninsula and then a municipality in Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...

, as the son of village shopkeeper Ole Andersen (1849–1883) and Randine Andersen (1849–1900). His father died when he was six years old, and the family moved to Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....

, an important port for timber export. In 1887 the family moved to Kristiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

. He adopted the name Gresvig when he was a candidate for confirmation. He married Ragnhild Helseth in 1914.

Active career as track cyclist

Gresvig bought his first bicycle in 1894. This was the start of his cycling career, and later career in sports business. He spent much time training at the area in front of the Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...

, and there he also met competition cyclists, including world champion Wilhelm Henie
Wilhelm Henie
Wilhelm Henie was a Norwegian sportsman and furrier. He was track cycling World Champion in 1894, and competed at the European Speed Skating Championships in 1896. Henie was coach and manager for his daughter Sonja, who became a famous figure skater and later film actress.-Cycling:Henie was an...

, as they used the area for training while the cycle racing track at Bygdøy
Bygdøy
Bygdøy or Bygdø is a peninsula on the western side of Oslo, Norway. Administratively, Bygdøy belongs to the borough of Frogner.Bygdøy has several museums, like the Kon-Tiki Museum, which shows all year long the legendary expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl; the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History ; the...

 converted from gravel to wooden tracks. Gresvig later exchanged his road bicycle into a track bicycle, and started to train at the Bygdøy velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...

. He won two Scandinavian championships in track cycling, in 1897 and 1900. He won three national championships, in 1897, 1898 and 1899. As a cyclist he represented Kristiania Velocipedklub.

Administrative career

Gresvig was board member of Christiania Skøiteklub
Oslo SK
Oslo Skøiteklub is a sports club in Oslo. Its home arena is Frogner Stadion. The club has departments for speed skating and figure skating.-Establishment:...

 from 1899, one year after the club's revival in 1898. He was vice chairman from 1905 to 1909 and chairman from 1909 to 1915, and was later appointed honorary member of the club. He chaired the Norwegian Skating Association
Norwegian Skating Association
The Norwegian Skating Association is the main skating authoritative body in Norway. It overlooks speed skating, figure skating, short track speed skating on ice and more recently inline and roller skating....

 from 1908 to 1911, and from 1915 to 1916. He was co-founder of Norsk Riksforbund for Idrett in 1910. He was president for Norges Cykleforbund from 1928 to 1929, and also president for Nordisk Sykkelforbund. In 1947 he co-founded Syklistenes Landsforening.

Business career

Gresvig started working as junior clerk for the insurance company Glitne in 1893. He later worked at various sport shops, trading with bicycles, which had become his big interest. During this period he acquired knowledge about both the technical aspects of the bicycle, and the business part.
In 1901 Gresvig started a cycle and sports shop in Oslo. In 1908 he also started production of bicycles, introducing the brands "Thor" and "Diamant". The company survived the difficult 1920s, and also expanded by taking over other companies. After his death the company continued to grow, developing into Gresvig ASA, which manages the sport chains G-Sport (about 220 shops), Super G and Intersport (about 110 shops).

Honours

Gresvig was honorary member of Nordisk Sykkelforbund, Norges Sportshandleres Forbund and Syklistenens Landsforening. A festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...

 was issued at his 75th anniversary, and his company's 50th anniversary, in 1951. He was decorated with the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

  and the King's Medal of Merit, both for his negotiation of delivery of bicycle tyres and tubes from England to Norway during the First World War.
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