Bjørnar Håkensmoen (or ''Bjoernar Haakensmoen'', born July 18, 1969) was the head coach of the Norway, Norwegian

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

team at the

2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics (), officially the XX Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February in Turin, Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the Winter O ...

. He rose to fame after offering

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

skier Sara Renner his

ski pole Ski poles, also referred to as poles (in North America), sticks (UK), or stocks (Australia), are used by skiing, skiers for balance and propulsion. Modern ski poles are most commonly made from Aluminium, aluminum and Carbon fibers, carbon fiber, ...

after hers broke during the women's team sprint event. This act of

sportsmanship Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, and with proper consideration for wikt:fairness, fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" r ...

allowed Renner to go on to claim the

silver medal A silver medal, in sports and other similar areas involving competition, is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, ...

with teammate Beckie Scott, edging the Norwegian entry of Ella Gjømle Berg and

Marit Bjørgen Marit Bjørgen (born 21 March 1980) is a former Norwegian cross-country skier. She is ranked first in the all-time Cross-Country World Cup rankings with 114 individual victories. Bjørgen is also the most successful sprinter in Cross-Country Wo ...

into fourth place. Canada responded to this act of kindness with many gifts and gestures, including: * Over 600 letters, telephone calls and e-mails of thanks were received by the Norwegian Embassy in Canada. * Canadian businessman Michael Page donated 7400 cans of

maple syrup Maple syrup is a sweet syrup made from the sap of maple trees. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late winter and early spring. Ma ...

to the Norwegian Olympic Committee.Canadians thank Norway for Renner assistance.
* Renner herself sent Håkensmoen a bottle of wine as a token of her appreciation.

References

1969 births Living people Norwegian male cross-country skiers Norwegian cross-country skiing coaches 20th-century Norwegian sportsmen {{norway-XC-skiing-bio-stub