Bjørn Rune Gjelsten
Encyclopedia
Bjørn Rune Gjelsten is a Norwegian
businessman and Offshore powerboat racing
World Champion. He was also a joint owner of Wimbledon Football Club
and involved in the controversial relocation of the team
from London
to Milton Keynes
.
Gjelsten made his powerboat racing debut in 1994 in the U.S.
, winning his first race in Jacksonville with throttleman Jim Dyke. In 1996 he formed Class 1's most successful partnership with English
man Steve Curtis
, which in the "Spirit of Norway" the pair took:
Curtis was awarded the Segrave Trophy
in 2003, and the committee presented Gjelsten with a Segrave Certificate. In 2004 Gjelsten retired to concentrate on his businesses, and sold the "Spirit of Norway" team to Bard Eker, who won the 2005 Championship with Curtis. In 2006, Gjelsten bought back the team from Eker, and won the 2006 Championship with Curtis.
became joint owners of the team in 2000. The following year, with the side homeless since leaving their Plough Lane ground in 1991 and playing at Crystal Palace
's Selhurst Park stadium in Croydon
, southeast London, Gjelsten, along with Røkke, chairman Charles Koppel and businessman Pete Winkelman
agreed to relocate the team
to Milton Keynes
, a town around 60 miles from their traditional base. This sparked a year of protest at matches from Wimbledon fans, determined not to let their club be 'franchised' like this. Although common in American sport, the relocation of a professional English football club had never been done before. After rejections from the Football League and the FA, the decision was eventually passed on to a three-man arbitration panel, the outcome being two to one in favour of the move. Wimbledon fans, outraged with the decision, agreed to form a new club to support, AFC Wimbledon
, and declared a boycott on their former team. The following season, Wimbledon FC would go on to play in front of record low crowds, including just 664 for a League Cup game against Rotherham
, before finally completing the move in 2004, becoming Milton Keynes Dons.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
businessman and Offshore powerboat racing
Offshore powerboat racing
Offshore powerboat racing is racing by large, specially designed ocean-going powerboats, typically point-to-point racing.Probably one of the largest, most dangerous, and most powerful racing machines of all, the extreme expense of the boats and the fuel required to participate make it an expensive...
World Champion. He was also a joint owner of Wimbledon Football Club
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and involved in the controversial relocation of the team
Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football prior to a "fairytale" rise through the divisions following election to The Football League...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
.
Gjelsten made his powerboat racing debut in 1994 in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, winning his first race in Jacksonville with throttleman Jim Dyke. In 1996 he formed Class 1's most successful partnership with English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
man Steve Curtis
Steve Curtis
Steve Curtis MBE is an English eight time offshore powerboat racing World Champion.Curtis's father Clive ran boat building business Cougar Marine, and also was a powerboat racer, making entry to the world championship for Steve easier after leaving school at 17...
, which in the "Spirit of Norway" the pair took:
- The World Championship - 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004
- The European Championship - 1998, 2002, 2003
- The Middle East Championship - 2003, 2004
- The Pole Position Championship - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Curtis was awarded the Segrave Trophy
Segrave Trophy
The Segrave Trophy is awarded to the British national who accomplishes the most outstanding demonstration of the possibilities of transport by land, sea, air, or water. The trophy is named in honour of Sir Henry Segrave, and has been awarded in most years since 1930.A subsidiary award, the Segrave...
in 2003, and the committee presented Gjelsten with a Segrave Certificate. In 2004 Gjelsten retired to concentrate on his businesses, and sold the "Spirit of Norway" team to Bard Eker, who won the 2005 Championship with Curtis. In 2006, Gjelsten bought back the team from Eker, and won the 2006 Championship with Curtis.
Relocation of Wimbledon Football Club
Buying into Wimbledon Football Club in the late 1990s, Gjelsten and his business partner Kjell Inge RøkkeKjell Inge Røkke
Kjell Inge Røkke is a Norwegian businessman and among the richest people in Norway, controlling the Norwegian company Aker Solutions...
became joint owners of the team in 2000. The following year, with the side homeless since leaving their Plough Lane ground in 1991 and playing at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
's Selhurst Park stadium in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, southeast London, Gjelsten, along with Røkke, chairman Charles Koppel and businessman Pete Winkelman
Pete Winkelman
Pete Winkelman is currently the chairman of football club Milton Keynes Dons, as well as managing director of the property development consortium Inter MK that was responsible for developing the Denbigh North district of Milton Keynes...
agreed to relocate the team
Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football prior to a "fairytale" rise through the divisions following election to The Football League...
to Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, a town around 60 miles from their traditional base. This sparked a year of protest at matches from Wimbledon fans, determined not to let their club be 'franchised' like this. Although common in American sport, the relocation of a professional English football club had never been done before. After rejections from the Football League and the FA, the decision was eventually passed on to a three-man arbitration panel, the outcome being two to one in favour of the move. Wimbledon fans, outraged with the decision, agreed to form a new club to support, AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
, and declared a boycott on their former team. The following season, Wimbledon FC would go on to play in front of record low crowds, including just 664 for a League Cup game against Rotherham
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, before finally completing the move in 2004, becoming Milton Keynes Dons.