Vibeke Skofterud

Summary

Vibeke Westbye Skofterud (20 April 1980 – 29 July 2018) was a Norwegian cross-country skier. She won gold in the 4 × 5 km relay at Vancouver in 2010. Her best individual finish at the Winter Olympics was eighth in the 30 km event at Salt Lake City in 2002.

Vibeke Skofterud
Vibeke Skofterud in May 2015
Country Norway
Full nameVibeke Westbye Skofterud
Born(1980-04-20)20 April 1980
Askim, Norway
Died29 July 2018(2018-07-29) (aged 38)
Arendal, Norway
Ski clubSlitu IF
World Cup career
Seasons15 – (20002014)
Starts191
Podiums15
Wins0
Overall titles0 – (11th in 2002, 2012)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver 4 × 5 km relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Oberstdorf 4 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 2011 Oslo 4 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2003 Val di Fiemme 4 × 5 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Sapporo 4 × 5 km relay
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Štrbské Pleso 4 × 5 km relay

Skofterud won a complete set of 4 × 5 km relay medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships (gold: 2005, gold: 2011, silver: 2003, bronze: 2007) and earned her best individual finish of 13th in the 5 km + 5 km double pursuit in 2003.

Her first individual victory came in a pursuit race in Norway in 2006.

In 2012, Skofterud became the first Norwegian to win the Vasaloppet official ladies class.[1] She set a new record time, 4.08,24, more than 8 minutes faster than the previous record from 1998.[1] This was the first time ever she competed in a race as long as 90 km.[citation needed]

The 2012/2013 World Cup season proved to be difficult for Skofterud, due to illness and injuries, and she was forced to quit the season halfway through. She made a comeback on the national team the following winter, but her results were less than satisfactory.[citation needed] After failing to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Skofterud announced her retirement from the national team, in favour of a career in ski marathon.[2]

She retired from cross-country skiing in 2015.[3]

Cross-country skiing results edit

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[4]

Olympic Games edit

  • 1 medal – (1 gold)
 Year   Age   10 km   15 km   Pursuit   30 km   Sprint   4 × 5 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2002 21 28 28 8 21
2010 29 22 DNF Gold

World Championships edit

  • 4 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km   15 km   Pursuit   30 km   Sprint   4 × 5 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2001 20 36 CNX[a] 16
2003 22 22 13 Silver
2005 24 15 37 Gold
2007 26 21 13 33 Bronze
2011 30 9 6 Gold
a. 1 Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

World Cup edit

Season standings edit

 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Long Distance Middle Distance Sprint Nordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
2000 20 83 NC 58
2001 21 43 28
2002 22 11 14
2003 23 21 13
2004 24 13 13 27
2005 25 28 23 30
2006 26 43 31 69
2007 27 15 11 75 9
2008 28 30 20 79 DNF
2009 29 57 37
2010 30 18 12 59 DNF 27
2011 31 27 17 31 6 DNF
2012 32 11 6 33   DNF
2013 33 23 18 NC 7
2014 34 56 33 NC 21 DNF

Individual podiums edit

  • 15 podiums – (12 WC, 3 SWC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 2001–02 8 December 2001   Cogne, Italy 5 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
2 9 December 2001 1.5 km Sprint F World Cup 2nd
3 23 March 2002   Birkebeinerrennet, Norway 58 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
4 2003–04 28 November 2003   Rukatunturi, Finland 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
5 2007–08 24 November 2007   Beitostølen, Norway 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd
6 8 December 2007   Davos, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
7 2009–10 29 November 2009   Rukatunturi, Finland 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
8 2011–12 19 November 2011   Sjusjøen, Norway 10 km Individual F World Cup 3rd
9 25 November 2011   Rukatunturi, Finland 1.2 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 3rd
10 26 November 2011 5 km Individual F Stage World Cup 2nd
11 27 November 2011 10 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 3rd
12 25–27 November 2011   Nordic Opening Overall Standings World Cup 3rd
13 10 December 2011   Davos, Switzerland 15 km Individual F World Cup 2nd
14 17 December 2011   Rogla, Slovenia 10 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
15 2012–13 16 December 2012   Canmore, Canada 7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/F World Cup 3rd

Team podiums edit

  • 17 victories – (17 RL)
  • 23 podiums – (23 RL)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 2001–02 16 December 2001   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Bay / Skari / Pedersen
2 10 March 2002   Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Moen / Bjørgen / Pedersen
3 2002–03 24 November 2002   Kiruna, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Moen / Skari / Sorkmo
4 8 December 2002   Davos, Switzerland 4 x 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Skari / Pedersen / Sorkmo
5 2003–04 23 November 2003   Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Pedersen / Steira / Bjørgen
6 14 December 2003   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Bjørgen / Stemland / Pedersen
7 11 January 2004   Otepää, Estonia 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Pedersen / Steira / Bjørgen
8 22 February 2004   Umeå, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Bjørgen / Steira / Pedersen
9 2004–05 24 November 2004   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Bjørnås / Pedersen / Bjørgen
10 12 December 2004   Val di Fiemme, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Bjørnås / Pedersen / Bjørgen
11 2005–06 20 November 2005   Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Berg / Pedersen / Bjørgen
12 15 January 2006   Val di Fiemme, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Bjørgen / Stemland / Steira
13 2006–07 19 November 2006   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Pedersen / Steira / Bjørgen
14 4 February 2007   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Jacobsen / Steira / Bjørgen
15 2007–08 25 November 2007   Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Jacobsen / Johaug / Bjørgen
16 9 December 2007   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Stemland / Johaug / Steira
17 2009–10 22 November 2009   Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Johaug / Steira / Bjørgen
18 2010–11 21 November 2010   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Johaug / Steira / Bjørgen
19 19 December 2010   La Clusaz, France 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Johaug / Steira / Bjørgen
20 2011–12 20 November 2011   Sjusjøen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Johaug / Steira / Bjørgen
21 12 February 2012   Nové Město, Czech Republic 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Johaug / Jacobsen / Bjørgen
22 2012–13 25 November 2012   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Johaug / Hagen / Bjørgen
23 20 January 2013   La Clusaz, France 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Østberg / Hagen / Jacobsen

Personal life edit

In 2005, Skofterud turned down an offer to appear in the Norwegian edition of the men's magazine FHM.[5] The rejection came after pressure from the Norwegian Ski Federation.[6]

Skofterud suffered from eating disorders, which she claimed as a reason for canceling many competitions in the previous seasons.[when?][7]

Skofterud confirmed in June 2008 that she was in a committed relationship with a woman. She had previously been in relationships with men.[8]

Skofterud was reported missing in the early morning of 29 July 2018 and was found dead on an islet. The police stated that she most likely died instantly from injuries after a jetski accident near Arendal.[9] Skofterud was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.8‰.[10] She was 38 years old.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Skofterud med historisk seier i Vasaloppet". www.dagbladet.no (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Skofterud gir seg på landslaget". www.vg.no (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Vibeke Skofterud: Former Olympic champion dies in jet-skiing accident". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  4. ^ "SKOFTERUD Vibeke". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  5. ^ Avlyste lettkledd fotografering
  6. ^ "Five Years Ago Skofterud And Steira Lit Up Internet With This Snap". Daily Skier. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Skofterud Brings Eating Disorders into the Spotlight; 1 in 9 Athletes Affected". Faster Skier. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Skofterud står frem med jentekjæreste". www.vg.no. Verdens Gang. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  9. ^ Brodahl, Viljam. "Skofterud omkommet i vannscooterulykke". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  10. ^ AS, TV 2. "Skofterud hadde promille da hun krasjet". TV 2 (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-09-03.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links edit