Ole Martin Ellefsæter (15 February 1939 – 18 October 2022) was a Norwegian athlete. He mostly competed in

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 ...

, and won two gold medals at the

1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. The 1968 Winter Games marked the first time ...

. At the

1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1966 took place 17–27 February 1966 in Oslo, Norway at the Holmenkollen ski arena. This was the third time the Norwegian capital hosted this event having done so in 1930 and at the 1952 Winter Olympics. T ...

he won one gold (4 × 10 km relay) and one silver (15 km) medal, and in 1971 he became the first Norwegian to win

Vasaloppet (Swedish language, Swedish for 'the Vasa race') is an annual long distance cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of :sv:Berga, Malung-Sälens kommun, Berga, jus ...

. Competing in the

3000 metres steeplechase The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually Abbreviation, abbreviated as ) is the most common distance for the steeplechase (athletics), steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 met ...

, he won six national championships in a row, from 1960 to 1965. For his accomplishments in both sports, he was awarded

Egebergs Ærespris The Egebergs Ærespris ("Honorary Prize of Egeberg") is a prize awarded to Norway, Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. The prize was created by Ferdinand Julian Egeberg, and consists of a bronze statuette modelled by sculptor Magnu ...

. Ellefsæter also had a singing career, and had two hit songs in Norway.

Skiing career

Ellefsæter won the

Birkebeinerrennet Birkebeinerrennet (lit. The Birkebeiner race) is a long-distance Cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It debuted in 1932 and has been a part of Worldloppet Ski Federation, Worldloppet since Worldlopp ...

in 1961. He became national champion in 15 km cross-country skiing in 1964, and competed at the

1964 Winter Olympics The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 (), were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964. The city was a ...

, where his best placement was eighth in the 50 kilometre. He was the Norwegian champion in 50 km cross-country skiing in 1965. At the

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1966 The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1966 took place 17–27 February 1966 in Oslo, Norway at the Holmenkollen ski arena. This was the third time the Norwegian capital hosted this event having done so in 1930 and at the 1952 Winter Olympics ...

he won a gold medal in the relay with the Norwegian team, a silver medal in the 15 km, and placed fourth in the 50 km. In 1967 he won the 50 km in the Norwegian championships, as well as in the

Holmenkollen Ski Festival The Holmenkollen Ski Festival ( or ) is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. History It takes place in March and has been arranged every ...

and in the Lahti Ski Games. At the

, Ellefsæter won a gold medal in 50 kilometre and in the 4 × 10 kilometre relay with the Norwegian team. In 1971 he became the first Norwegian to win

. He competed at the

1972 Winter Olympics The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially the and commonly known as Sapporo 1972 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from February 3 to 13, 1972, in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It was the first Winter Olympic Games to take place outside ...

, where he placed 10th in 50 km and 31st in the

30 km 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...

Steeplechase career

Besides skiing, Ellefsæter competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase, winning the national title from 1960 to 1965. His personal best of 8:43.8 minutes was a world top-level result at the time and placed him 26th on the Norwegian all-time list. Ellefsæter competed at the 1962 European Championships, but failed to reach the final.

Singing career

Ellefsæther was a popular singer. His 1966 single "Huldreslåtten" sold more than 25,000 copies in Norway. After the 1968 Olympics he had another hit "Alle kluter til", which was dedicated to the success of Norwegian team. He produced two albums, ''Viser og gamle takter'' (1967) and ''I godt lag'' (1969), the text for which was written by his neighbor Guttorm P. Haugen.

Awards

For his accomplishments in both skiing and athletics Ellefsæter received the

in 1965. Later, his statue was installed in

Brumunddal Brumunddal is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Ringsaker Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of the municipality. It is located on the shores of the lake Mjøsa, about north of the town of ...

where he grew up. In 1967 he won the 50 km event at the

Holmenkollen ski festival The Holmenkollen Ski Festival ( or ) is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. History It takes place in March and has been arranged every ...

, the same year he was awarded the Holmenkollen medal, shared with

Toini Gustafsson Toini Gustafsson Rönnlund (born Toini Karvonen; 17 January 1938) is a Sweden, Swedish former cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country skier. She competed in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics and won four medals. Gustafsson also won the 10 ...

. He received the Fearnley Olympic award in 1968.

Personal life

Born on 15 February 1939, Ellefsæther worked for several years as a

lumberjack Lumberjack is a mostly North American term for workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees. The term usually refers to loggers in the era before 1945 in the United States, when trees were felled us ...

, and later studied to become a forestry technician. He received the nickname "Uteligger" ("Homeless") after one skiing accident, where after a long training he was taken by surprise by the darkness, and had to stay overnight in the forest. On 18 October 2022, Ellefsæter died after collapsing from

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

while felling trees near his home in Ringsaker. He was 83.OL-helten Ole Ellefsæter (83) er død

Cross-country skiing results

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

Olympic Games

* 2 medals – (2 gold)

World Championships

* 2 medals – (1 gold, 1 silver)

References

External links

*
Holmenkollen medalists
– click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file
Holmenkollen winners since 1892
– click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellefsaeter, Ole 1939 births 2022 deaths Cross-country skiers at the 1964 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1968 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1972 Winter Olympics Holmenkollen medalists Holmenkollen Ski Festival winners Norwegian male cross-country skiers Olympic cross-country skiers for Norway Olympic gold medalists for Norway Vasaloppet winners Olympic medalists in cross-country skiing FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in cross-country skiing Medalists at the 1968 Winter Olympics People from Ringsaker People from Furnes, Norway Sportspeople from Innlandet 20th-century Norwegian sportsmen