Frode Estil

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Frode Estil
Frode Estil in 2007
Country Norway
Full nameFrode Estil
Born (1972-05-31) 31 May 1972 (age 51)
Lierne, Norway
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Ski clubLierne IL
World Cup career
Seasons13 – (19952007)
Starts119
Podiums20
Wins4
Overall titles0 – (5th in 2002)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Salt Lake City 10 km + 10 km
combined pursuit
Gold medal – first place 2002 Salt Lake City 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2002 Salt Lake City 15 km classical
Silver medal – second place 2006 Turin 15 km + 15 km
double pursuit
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 Lahti 4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place 2003 Val di Fiemme 4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place 2005 Oberstdorf 50 km classical
Gold medal – first place 2005 Oberstdorf 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2001 Lahti 30 km classical
Silver medal – second place 2007 Sapporo 50 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Val di Fiemme 15 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Val di Fiemme 30 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Oberstdorf 15 km + 15 km
double pursuit

Frode Estil (born 31 May 1972) is a retired Norwegian cross-country skier. He lives in Meråker with his wife Grete whom he married in the summer of 2001. They have two sons, Bernhard, born in August 2002, and Konrad. Estil was classical specialist and also a specialist at succeeding in World Championships and Olympics. While Estil only won four World Cup races, he won one individual Olympic Gold and one individual World Championship gold. In addition, he won three team events in the World Championships and another team gold in the Olympics.

World Cup[edit]

Estil's first World Cup victory was in 1999 in the 30 km event at Davos.[1] His best standing at the end of a season was during 2001/02 when he finished fifth. Estil has been competing in the World Cup since 1995/96, in which he finished the season in 42nd place, and in 1996/97 he finished 63rd. The year after however he jumped up to 12th. The following two years he finished 19th and 12th. Finally, in the 2000/01 season, he finished inside the top ten of the world, finishing eight. The next season (2001/02) was even better for Estil, not only did he get married in the summer but he finished in fifth place overall, his ever highest overall ranking. The next two seasons he finished in sixth. After the 2002/03 season he stopped competing in the sprint events after finishing the season in 58th, he had finished the sprint seasons in 48th (1996/97), 18th (1997/98), 18th (1998/99), 32nd (1999/00), and 39th in 2001/02. In 2003/04 he finished third in the distance standings. 2004/05 was a poor season, finishing 14th in the distance, and 25th in the overall. Estil finished the 2005/06 season in ninth place in the FIS World Cup standings, 456 points behind winner Tobias Angerer. Estil finished fourth in the distance, 420 points behind Angerer, and again did not compete in the sprints.

Estil has had 18 World Cup podium finishes. Four of them in the first place, six in second place and eight in third place. His wins came in 1999/00, 2002/03 and two in 2003/04. The most podium finishes he has had in a single season was in 2002/03, where he had four (one win, two second, and one third). He had three podiums in the seasons either side of that season. All of his wins have been in the classic style, except one double pursuit (in which the first half of the race is in the classical technique).

The 15 km is his most successful event in terms of numbers of podium finishes. Through the years he has had one win, three second places and three third places. His most successful event in terms of wins is the 30 km, where he has had three victories (also one second and one third).

World Championships[edit]

Estil's first gold medal in an international championship was in the relay in the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2001 in Lahti, where he also took silver in the 30 km.

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2003, held in Val di Fiemme, Estil won a gold in the 4 × 10 km relay and bronze in the 15 km and 30 km.

At the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, Estil won gold in the 50 km race, and the 4 × 10 km relay. In the 50 km race he won in a time of 2:30:10.1,[2] beating Anders Aukland by 0.7 seconds, and Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset came third making it a Norwegian sweep. A characteristic of Estil is to start slow and then come through the pack towards the end of the race, he was 23rd after 12.5 km, and 11th after 27.5 km, but by 42.5 km he was third, and came through to win. In the relay, Norway (Hjelmeset, Estil, biathlete Lars Berger, and Tore Ruud Hofstad) won, with Germany second and Russia third.[3] Norway finished 17.7 seconds ahead of the Germans, with Estil skiing Norway's second fastest leg (behind Berger). He also won a bronze medal in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit,[4] in a time of 1:19:21.3, 0.8 seconds behind winner Vincent Vittoz, and losing silver to Giorgio Di Centa in a photo finish.

At the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo, Estil won only one medal. He lost the gold at the finish line of the 50 km event to fellow Norwegian Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset. Estil has nine World Championship medals as of the Sapporo championships with four gold, two silver, and three bronze.

Olympics[edit]

Estil has competed in two Winter Olympics. In the 2002 Games Estil won golds in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit, and the 4 × 10 km relay; and won a silver in the 15 km. In the 2006 Winter Olympics he won a silver medal in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit.

In the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit, Estil tied with fellow Norwegian Thomas Alsgaard for second place, with Johann Mühlegg winning the race. However Mühlegg was found guilty of doping and disqualified by the IOC in February 2004, therefore upgrading Estil and Alsgaard to joint gold medalists. Alsgaard and Estil clocked times of 49:48.9, 4 seconds ahead of Per Elofsson.[5]

In the same Olympic Games, he also won a silver medal in the 15 km Classic race, and a gold medal in the 4 × 10 km relay together with Alsgaard, Kristen Skjeldal and Anders Aukland. Estil finished the 15 km race in 37:43.4, 36 seconds behind Andrus Veerpalu of Estonia, and 7.4 seconds ahead of Jaak Mae also of Estonia.[6] Estil also took part in the 50 km classic, but finished ninth, in a time of 2:10:44.8, 4:22.0 behind winner Mikhail Ivanov of Russia.[7]

At the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, Estil won the silver medal in the men's 15 km + 15 km double pursuit competition despite taking a fall and breaking a ski at the start of the race which put him in last place. Eugeni Dementiev of Russia won the race, 1.6 seconds ahead of Estil, who finished the race in 1:17:01.8, 0.3 seconds ahead of Pietro Piller Cottrer who came third.[8] In the same Games Estil also took part in the 15 km classical, and the 50 km freestyle mass start, but finished 17th and 28th respectively. Estil's results mirrored those of the Norwegian cross-country team who failed to win a single Gold medal in Turin, owing to stomach illness and waxing mistakes made by Norway's eight man strong service team.

Estil's Olympic medals include two golds and two silvers..

Medical[edit]

Estil has a high hemoglobin level, and has received a blood-certificate by the FIS, so that when his blood is tested the maximum hemoglobin allowed to race is 17.5 grams hemoglobin per 100 ml of blood, compared to 17 grams for men and 16 grams per 100 ml for athletes without this certificate.

Legacy[edit]

Cross-country skiing results[edit]

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[9]

Olympic Games[edit]

  • 4 medals – (2 gold, 2 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km   Pursuit   30 km   50 km   Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2002 29 Silver Gold 9 Gold
2006 33 16 Silver 28 5

World Championships[edit]

  • 9 medals – (4 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km   15 km   Pursuit   30 km   50 km   Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
1999 26 8
2001 28 6 Silver Gold
2003 30 Bronze 12 Bronze 29 Gold
2005 32 Bronze Gold Gold
2007 34 14 17 Silver

World Cup[edit]

Season standings[edit]

 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Long Distance Middle Distance Sprint Tour de
Ski
1995 22 NC
1996 23 42
1997 24 63 NC 48
1998 25 12 9 18
1999 26 19 16 18
2000 27 12 6 20 32
2001 28 8
2002 29 5 39
2003 30 6 58
2004 31 6 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) NC
2005 32 25 14
2006 33 9 4
2007 34 10 5 NC 11

Individual podiums[edit]

  • 4 victories
  • 20 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1  1997–98  8 March 1998 Finland Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
2  1998–99  7 March 1999 Finland Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
3 1999–00 18 December 1999 Switzerland Davos, Switzerland 30 km Individual C World Cup 1st
4 17 March 2000 Italy Bormio, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
5  2000–01  10 March 2001 Norway Oslo, Norway 50 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
6 17 March 2001 Sweden Falun, Sweden 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
7  2001–02  24 November 2001 Finland Kuopio, Finland 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
8 8 December 2001 Italy Cogne, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
9 13 March 2002 Norway Birkebeinerrennet, Norway 58 km Mass Start C World Cup 3rd
10 2002–03 14 December 2002 Italy Cogne, Italy 30 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
11 25 January 2003 Germany Oberhof, Germany 15 km Mass Start C World Cup 3rd
12 15 February 2003 Italy Asiago, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
13 22 March 2003 Sweden Falun, Sweden 10 km + 10 km Duathlon C/F World Cup 2nd
14 2003–04 10 January 2004 Estonia Otepää, Estonia 30 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
15 17 January 2004 Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
16 7 March 2004 Finland Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st
17  2004–05  8 January 2005 Estonia Otepää, Estonia 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
18  2005–06  17 December 2005 Canada Canmore, Canada 30 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
19  2006–07  27 January 2007 Estonia Otepää, Estonia 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
20 25 March 2007 Norway Oslo, Norway 50 km Individual C World Cup 3rd

Team podiums[edit]

  • 9 victories – (9 RL)
  • 16 podiums – (15 RL, 1 TS)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammate(s)
1 1995–96 17 March 1996 Norway Oslo, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 1st Bjonviken / Andersen / Hetland
2  1997–98  23 November 1997 Norway Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Sivertsen / Aukland / Skaanes
3 6 March 1998 Finland Lahti, Finland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Sivertsen / Eide / Alsgaard
4 1998–99 21 March 1999 Norway Oslo, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay C World Cup 1st Bjervig / Aukland / Hjelmeset
5  1999–00  8 December 1999 Italy Asiago, Italy Team Sprint F World Cup 2nd Bjonviken
6 19 December 1999 Switzerland Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C World Cup 1st Hjelmeset / Jevne / Bjervig
7 2000–01 9 December 2000 Italy Santa Caterina, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Skjeldal / Hetland / Alsgaard
8  2001–02  16 December 2001 Switzerland Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Jevne / Alsgaard / Hetland
9 10 March 2002 Sweden Falun, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Aukland / Skjeldal / Alsgaard
10  2002–03  8 December 2002 Switzerland Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Hjelmeset / Skjeldal / Bjervig
11 19 January 2003 Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Aukland / Hofstad / Alsgaard
12  2003–04  23 November 2003 Norway Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Bjonviken / Andresen / Bjørndalen
13 14 December 2003 Switzerland Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Aukland / Skjeldal / Hetland
14 22 February 2004 Sweden Umeå, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Hjelmeset / Skjeldal / Hofstad
15 2004–05 12 December 2004 Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Svartedal / Hjelmeset / Hofstad
16 2006–07 25 March 2007 Sweden Falun, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Pettersen / Hjelmeset / Northug

Notes and references[edit]

  1. ^ [1] Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine FIS World Cup results
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2006-07-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) 2005 World Championship Gold
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2006-07-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) 2005 World Championship relay Gold
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2006-07-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) 2005 World Championship bronze
  5. ^ [2] 2002 Olympic Gold
  6. ^ [3] 2002 Olympic Silver
  7. ^ [4] 2002 Olympic 9th
  8. ^ [5] 2006 Olympic Silver
  9. ^ "ESTIL Frode". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

External links[edit]