Tor Arne Hetland
Encyclopedia
Tor Arne Hetland (born 12 January 1974) is a professional Norwegian cross-country
skier.
Hetland was born in Stavanger
. He now lives in Trondheim
and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and . He is coached by Ulf Morten Aune.
Hetland finished the 2005/06 FIS World Cup season in third place, 259 points behind Tobias Angerer
, and 7 points behind fellow countryman Jens Arne Svartedal
. He finished third in the sprints, 163 points behind Björn Lind
, and 20 points behind Thobias Fredriksson
. He was 20th in the distance standings, 632 points behind Angerer.
Hetland has had 23 podium finishes in his World Cup career, 10 in first place, 10 in second place and 3 in third place. He has podiumed at least once every year since 1996/97, except for 1997/98 and 1999/2000. The most podium finishes he has had in one season was in 2004/05 when he had five. He had four in 2005/06 and three for three consecutive seasons from 2000/01. Of his 23 podium finishes all but three have come in sprints. His first non sprint podium was in 1996/97, when he came second in a 50 km race. In 2000/01 he came third in a 15 km race and on 19 November 2005 he won his first distance race (15 km) in Beitostølen
, Norway
. The victory on this particular course was no great shock as the Beitostølen track is very flat as the tracks on the cross country circuit goes, and when taken into consideration that the Norwegian athletes, much like the larger teams like the Germans, and Russians, are expected to be in near top condition at the beginning of the season so as to secure team selection. His victory in the sprint event in Vernon
, Canada
on 12 December 2005, was his 100th career race.
gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal. Three of his medals (one gold, silver and bronze) were won in the sprint event, his gold came at Lahti
in 2001
. His silver came at Oberstdorf
in 2005
and his bronze at Val di Fiemme
in 2003
. In 2001 he won a gold in the 4 x 10 km relay, and his other gold medal came in the team sprint in Oberstdorf, which he won with Tore Ruud Hofstad
. He has one gold medal and one silver medal from the Winter Olympics. He won the gold in the individual sprint event in 2002 in Salt Lake City, but did not do as well in Pragelato
in the 2006 Winter Olympics
, coming 10th in the individual sprint. He won his silver in the team sprint in 2006.
. He stated that he "...[felt]... like I am quitting like I am top".
municipality in southwestern Norway.
In August 2004 he married Guri Knotten, his partner of ten years.
He is the only athlete from the county of Rogaland who have won a Winter Olympic Gold Medal.
He speaks Norwegian, English, and German, and enjoys telemark skiing
, golf, rock climbing, hiking, football, watching television, and is a certified scuba diver.
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
skier.
Hetland was born in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
. He now lives in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and . He is coached by Ulf Morten Aune.
World Cup
Hetland began his career in 1990, but only started competing in the World Cup in 1996/97, where he finished 11th in the long distance standings and 46th in the sprint, finishing 30th in the overall standings. The year after he did much worse, coming 42nd in the long distance, and 78th in the sprint, finishing 62nd overall. For the next three seasons he improved his overall standing and became a main contender in the sprint. In 1998/99 he came 2nd in the sprints, and 23rd in the overall, in 1999/2000 he came 4th in the sprints but had a better long distance season than the one before, and in 2000/01 he came 3rd in the sprints and 12th overall. In 2001/02 he came 13th in the overall standing, whilst finishing the sprint in 6th, and in 2003/04 he came 4th in the sprint, and claimed his first distance points, coming in 37th, and 14th in the overall. The season after, 2004/05 was Hetland's most successful year to date, winning the sprint title, and coming 3rd in the overall standings.Hetland finished the 2005/06 FIS World Cup season in third place, 259 points behind Tobias Angerer
Tobias Angerer
Tobias Angerer is a German cross country skier, and skies with the SC Vachendorf club. He graduated from the Skigymnasium Berchtesgaden in 1996. His occupation is "Sports Soldier"...
, and 7 points behind fellow countryman Jens Arne Svartedal
Jens Arne Svartedal
Jens Arne Svartedal is a Norwegian cross country skier who has competed since 1996. He represents Trøsken IL from Sarpsborg in Norway. His greatest achievement is winning the individual sprint gold medal at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo...
. He finished third in the sprints, 163 points behind Björn Lind
Björn Lind
Björn Lind is a Swedish cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won gold medals in both the Individual and Team sprint events at Turin in 2006....
, and 20 points behind Thobias Fredriksson
Thobias Fredriksson
Thobias Fredriksson is a Swedish cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. He won two medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin with a gold in the team sprint and a bronze in the individual sprint events.Fredriksson also won two medals in the individual sprint events at the FIS Nordic...
. He was 20th in the distance standings, 632 points behind Angerer.
Hetland has had 23 podium finishes in his World Cup career, 10 in first place, 10 in second place and 3 in third place. He has podiumed at least once every year since 1996/97, except for 1997/98 and 1999/2000. The most podium finishes he has had in one season was in 2004/05 when he had five. He had four in 2005/06 and three for three consecutive seasons from 2000/01. Of his 23 podium finishes all but three have come in sprints. His first non sprint podium was in 1996/97, when he came second in a 50 km race. In 2000/01 he came third in a 15 km race and on 19 November 2005 he won his first distance race (15 km) in Beitostølen
Beitostølen
Beitostølen is a village in Øystre Slidre, Norway. As of 1 January 2009, it had 247 residents, and is located above mean sea level. It is largely a tourist area, with many cabins and hotels serving various winter sports facilities. The village has hosted FIS Cross-Country World Cup and Biathlon...
, Norway
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...
. The victory on this particular course was no great shock as the Beitostølen track is very flat as the tracks on the cross country circuit goes, and when taken into consideration that the Norwegian athletes, much like the larger teams like the Germans, and Russians, are expected to be in near top condition at the beginning of the season so as to secure team selection. His victory in the sprint event in Vernon
Vernon, British Columbia
Vernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on 12 December 2005, was his 100th career race.
World Championships and Olympics
Hetland has three World championshipFIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal. Three of his medals (one gold, silver and bronze) were won in the sprint event, his gold came at Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
in 2001
2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2001 took place February 15–25, 2001 in Lahti, Finland for a record sixth time, previous events being held in 1926, 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1989...
. His silver came at Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...
in 2005
2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2005 took place February 16-27, 2005 in Oberstdorf, Germany for the second time after hosting it previously in 1987. The ski jumping team normal hill returned after not being held in 2003...
and his bronze at Val di Fiemme
Val di Fiemme
thumb|300px|Location of the Fiemme Valley in [[Trentino]].thumb|300px|The [[Lagorai]] seen from [[Passo Lusia]].Fiemme Valley is a valley in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in northern Italy located in the Dolomites mountain region....
in 2003
2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2003 took place February 18-March 1, 2003 in Val di Fiemme, Italy for a second time . The ski jumping team normal hill held in 2001 was not held at this championships while the women's 30 km returned after being cancelled in the previous championships due to...
. In 2001 he won a gold in the 4 x 10 km relay, and his other gold medal came in the team sprint in Oberstdorf, which he won with Tore Ruud Hofstad
Tore Ruud Hofstad
Tore Ruud Hofstad is a Norwegian cross-country skier who competed from 1998 to 2010. A freestyle specialist, Hofstad is best noted as a member of the Norwegian relay team during three successful FIS Nordic World Ski Championship campaigns...
. He has one gold medal and one silver medal from the Winter Olympics. He won the gold in the individual sprint event in 2002 in Salt Lake City, but did not do as well in Pragelato
Pragelato
Pragelato is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km west of Turin, in the upper Val Chisone. The name Pragelato, meaning ‘icy meadow’, has been derived from the harsh climate and the fact that the ground is covered with ice for long periods...
in the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, coming 10th in the individual sprint. He won his silver in the team sprint in 2006.
Retirement
Hetland announced his retirement the week of 27 April 2009 to a lingering knee injury and asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
. He stated that he "...[felt]... like I am quitting like I am top".
Personal life
Hetland's parents are farmers in Helleland in EigersundEigersund
Eigersund is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Egersund landdisstrikt was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Augne was separated from Eigersund in 1839. Helleland and the town of Egersund were merged with Eigersund on 1 January 1965.-Location:Eigersund extends from the...
municipality in southwestern Norway.
In August 2004 he married Guri Knotten, his partner of ten years.
He is the only athlete from the county of Rogaland who have won a Winter Olympic Gold Medal.
He speaks Norwegian, English, and German, and enjoys telemark skiing
Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing is a form of skiing using the Telemark turn. Unlike alpine skiing equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing, or may be released to only connect there.Telemark turns are led with...
, golf, rock climbing, hiking, football, watching television, and is a certified scuba diver.