SKATERS from Norway

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Norwegian Skaters of all time. This list of famous Norwegian Skaters is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Norwegian Skaters.

1. Sonja Henie (1912 - 1969)

With an HPI of 69.28, Sonja Henie is the most famous Norwegian Skater.  Her biography has been translated into 54 different languages on wikipedia.

Sonja Henie (8 April 1912 – 12 October 1969) was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic champion (1928, 1932, 1936) in women's singles, a ten-time World champion (1927–1936) and a six-time European champion (1931–1936). Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies' figure skater. She is one of only two skaters to defend a ladies' singles Olympic title, the other being Katarina Witt, and her six consecutive European titles have only been matched by Witt. At the height of Henie's American acting career, she was one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood and starred in a series of box-office hits, including Thin Ice (1937), Happy Landing (1938), My Lucky Star (1938), Second Fiddle (1939), and Sun Valley Serenade (1941).

2. Axel Paulsen (1855 - 1938)

With an HPI of 63.92, Axel Paulsen is the 2nd most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 32 different languages.

Axel Paulsen (18 July 1855 – 9 February 1938) was a Norwegian figure skater and speed skater. He invented the figure skating Axel jump and held the world title in speed skating from 1882 to 1890. In 1976, he was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

3. Hjalmar Andersen (1923 - 2013)

With an HPI of 62.23, Hjalmar Andersen is the 3rd most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Hjalmar "Hjallis" Johan Andersen (12 March 1923 – 27 March 2013) was a speed skater from Norway who won three gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympic Games of Oslo, Norway. He was the only triple gold medalist at the 1952 Winter Olympics, and as such, became the most successful athlete there. Nicknamed King Glad for his famous cheerful mood, he was one of Norway's most popular sportsmen ever. Four statues of him were raised during his lifetime; in Trondheim, Hamar, Rødøy and outside Bislett Stadium in Oslo. He was honored with a funeral at the state’s expense.

4. Ivar Ballangrud (1904 - 1969)

With an HPI of 62.12, Ivar Ballangrud is the 4th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Ivar Eugen Ballangrud (né Eriksen, 7 March 1904 – 1 June 1969) was a Norwegian speed skater, a four-time Olympic champion in speed skating. As the only triple gold medalist at the 1936 Winter Olympics, Ballangrud was the most successful athlete there.

5. Fred Anton Maier (1938 - 2015)

With an HPI of 60.08, Fred Anton Maier is the 5th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Fred Anton Maier (15 December 1938 – 9 June 2015) was a speed skater from Norway. He was among the dominating skaters throughout the 1960s, specialising in the longer distances. Maier won four Olympic medals: silver on the 10,000 m and bronze on the 5,000 m at the 1964 Olympics, and gold on the 5,000 m and silver on the 10,000 m at the 1968 Olympics. In 1968, he also became European and World Allround Champion. In total, Maier set eleven world records. For a brief week in 1968 he held four world records simultaneously, the 3,000 m, 5,000 m, 10,000 m, and the allround samalogue record. In addition, Maier excelled in cycling, winning two National Time Trial Championships bronze medals (in 1957 and 1967). In 1967, he was awarded the Egebergs Ærespris and in 1968, he won the Oscar Mathisen Award and was chosen Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year. Maier died from cancer on 9 June 2015 at the age of 76. The Tønsberg Stadion was renamed in 2015, to take his name and a statue of Maier was erected at the stadium's south entrance.

6. Roald Aas (1928 - 2012)

With an HPI of 59.57, Roald Aas is the 6th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Roald Edgar Aas (25 March 1928 – 18 February 2012) was a speed skater and cyclist from Norway. He was born in Oslo. Aas was the number two speed skater in Norway through the entire 1950s—initially after Hjalmar Andersen, later after Knut Johannesen. He became Norwegian champion once, in 1956, but finished second seven times. Aas participated in all international championships between 1951 and 1960, almost always finishing in the top ten. He won bronze at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships in 1958, and at two European Speed Skating Championships, in 1957 and 1960. At the Oslo Winter Olympics, he won bronze on the 1500 m, while at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics in 1960, he finally won gold, shared with Yevgeny Grishin, also in 1500 m. Aas also was a successful cyclist, winning the 1956 Norwegian Championships in both road cycling and track cycling. For his achievements as both a speed skater and a cyclist, Aas was awarded the prestigious Egebergs Ærespris in 1956. Until 1956, Aas represented Oslo Idrettslag (Oslo Sports Club) – from 1957 on, he represented Oslo Skøiteklub (Oslo Skating Club). When he ended his skating career, he became a coach at Oslo Skøiteklub. After his retirement, he worked as a stock manager for Jordan Dental.

7. Alexia Bryn (1889 - 1983)

With an HPI of 56.71, Alexia Bryn is the 7th most famous Norwegian Skater.  Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Alexia Marie Bryn (also credited as Schøien and Bryn-Schøien; 24 March 1889 – 19 July 1983) was a Norwegian pair skater. She competed with Yngvar Bryn. They won silver medals at the 1920 Summer Olympics and at the 1923 World Figure Skating Championships, as well as the bronze at the 1912 Worlds.

8. Odd Lundberg (1917 - 1983)

With an HPI of 56.21, Odd Lundberg is the 8th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Odd Harald Lundberg (3 October 1917 – 7 March 1983) was a speed skater from Norway. Lundberg became World Allround Champion in Helsinki in 1948, finished third in Oslo in 1949, and second in Eskilstuna in 1950. He also won a competition in Bislett, Oslo in 1946, which was announced as unofficial World Championships. At the 1948 Winter Olympics of St. Moritz, he won silver on the 5,000 m, bronze on the 1,500 m, and finished in seventh place on the 10,000 m. Lundberg was active over a period of 25 years; his last international event was in 1958, and he participated in the Norwegian Championships in 1961, 43 years old.

9. Knut Johannesen (b. 1933)

With an HPI of 56.14, Knut Johannesen is the 9th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Knut ("Kupper'n") Johannesen (born 6 November 1933) is a former speed skater from Norway.

10. Roar Grønvold (b. 1946)

With an HPI of 55.80, Roar Grønvold is the 10th most famous Norwegian Skater.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Roar Grønvold (born 19 March 1946) is a former speed skater from Norway. Grønvold had his best year in 1972 when he became Norwegian Allround Champion and won silver at the Norwegian Sprint Championships. In addition, he won silver at the 1972 Winter Olympics of Sapporo on both the 1,500 m and the 5,000 m, and he won silver at both the European Allround and the World Allround Championships. All four of those Olympic, World, and European silver medals were behind Ard Schenk. In 1973, Grønvold joined the short-lived professional league, winning bronze at the Professional World Allround Championships that year and silver at the Professional European Allround Championships. At both those championships, it was again Ard Schenk who won the gold medals. In 1974, Grønvold again won silver at the Professional European Allround Championships, this time behind fellow Norwegian Bjørn Tveter. The professional league was dissolved that same year and that also meant the end of Grønvold's skating career. After his speed skating career ended, Grønvold became a speed skating coach.