Ivar Mathisen
Encyclopedia
Ivar Mathisen (14 June 1920 – 7 October 2008) was a Norwegian
sprint canoer
who competed in the 1940s and early 1950s. He received a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London
with Knut Østby
. Mathisen finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m event at those same games.
from an early age. During the German occupation of Norway, which started before Mathisen's twentieth birthday, the club was dissolved, but several members continued training. In the autumn of 1940 Mathisen and nine others also became involved in the resistance
organization Milorg
, in group 13321. They held meetings on islands in the Oslofjord
during the summer, and held paramilitary exercises in the Vestmarka forested area. Often, they would pick up crates dropped by British pilots. His place of work, the paper factory at Hamang, was also the site of exercises. Laborers practised shooting with Sten submachine guns and Bren light machine guns in the cellar. Once, Mathisen told in an interview, they had stacked targets in front of an exit door, and their rounds went through the targets and the door, possibly revealing the shooting for onlookers. However, Mathisen was never discovered; according to his own statement he was never even controlled by soldiers or Gestapo
.
, Hans Gulbrandsen and Eivind Skabo
. Before the 1948 Summer Olympics
, Mathisen and his teammate Knut Østby
(also from Bærum) were considered as having the highest medal hopes in the Norwegian canoeing squad. Mathisen and Østby proceeded to win the silver medal in the K-2 10000 m
event and finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m
. Mathisen then received a silver medal in K-2 1000 m at the 1950 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, with Knut Østby. At the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
, he finished fifth in both the K-2 1000 m and K-2 10000 m events.
Mathisen resided in Vøyenenga
until his death in October 2008.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
sprint canoer
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
who competed in the 1940s and early 1950s. He received a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London
Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics
At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, nine events in sprint canoe racing were contested. For the first time, a women's event was part of the Olympic program.-Men's events:-Women's event:-Medal table:-References:* pp. 307–16....
with Knut Østby
Knut Østby
Knut Østby was a Norwegian sprint canoer who competed from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at London in 1948 and another in the K-2 1000 m event at the 1950 World Championships.-Career:Østby was born in Modum, but...
. Mathisen finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m event at those same games.
Early life
He was a member of the canoeing club Bærum KKBærum KK
Bærum Kajakklubb is a sports club from Bærum, Norway.Established in 1935, its only sport is canoe racing. It is based at Kalvøya outside of Sandvika, and has shared the locality with the rowing club Bærum RK since 1972....
from an early age. During the German occupation of Norway, which started before Mathisen's twentieth birthday, the club was dissolved, but several members continued training. In the autumn of 1940 Mathisen and nine others also became involved in the resistance
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
organization Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
, in group 13321. They held meetings on islands in the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
during the summer, and held paramilitary exercises in the Vestmarka forested area. Often, they would pick up crates dropped by British pilots. His place of work, the paper factory at Hamang, was also the site of exercises. Laborers practised shooting with Sten submachine guns and Bren light machine guns in the cellar. Once, Mathisen told in an interview, they had stacked targets in front of an exit door, and their rounds went through the targets and the door, possibly revealing the shooting for onlookers. However, Mathisen was never discovered; according to his own statement he was never even controlled by soldiers or Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
.
Sporting career
Mathisen profited from his World War II physical activity. He took his first Norwegian national title in 1946, and eight more titles would follow, the last in 1953. Five of the titles came in relay races. He competed in the 1948 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, and received a silver medal in K-1 4 x 500 metres relay, together with teammates Ivar IversenIvar Iversen
Ivar Iversen is a Norwegian sprint canoer who competed from the late 1930s to the late 1940s. He won a gold medal in the K-1 4 x 500 m event at the 1948 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in London....
, Hans Gulbrandsen and Eivind Skabo
Eivind Skabo
Eivind Skabo was a Norwegian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1940s. He won a bronze medal in the K-1 10000 m event at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London....
. Before the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, Mathisen and his teammate Knut Østby
Knut Østby
Knut Østby was a Norwegian sprint canoer who competed from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at London in 1948 and another in the K-2 1000 m event at the 1950 World Championships.-Career:Østby was born in Modum, but...
(also from Bærum) were considered as having the highest medal hopes in the Norwegian canoeing squad. Mathisen and Østby proceeded to win the silver medal in the K-2 10000 m
Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 10000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 10000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks.-Medalists:-Final:The final took place August 11.-References:* p. 312.*...
event and finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m
Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 1000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 1000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks. Heats and final took place on August 12.-Medalists:-Heats:...
. Mathisen then received a silver medal in K-2 1000 m at the 1950 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, with Knut Østby. At the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, he finished fifth in both the K-2 1000 m and K-2 10000 m events.
Mathisen resided in Vøyenenga
Vøyenenga
Vøyenenga is a village in Akershus, Norway....
until his death in October 2008.