Knut Østby
Encyclopedia
Knut Østby was a Norwegian
sprint canoer
who competed from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at London
in 1948
and another in the K-2 1000 m event at the 1950 World Championships.
, but grew up in Bærum
, and was a member of Bærum KK
. He was a new name in Norwegian and international kayaking after 1945, as most of the pre-war organized sporting activity had been put on ice during World War II
. Already in 1948, before the Summer Olympics
that year, Østby and his teammate Ivar Mathisen
were considered as having the highest medal hopes in the Norwegian canoeing squad. Østby and Mathisen proceeded to win the silver medal in the K-2 10000 m
event and finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m
. At the 1950 World Championships he won another silver medal in the K-2 1000 m event. Two years later he finished fifth in both the K-2 1000 m
and the K-2 10000 m
events at the 1952 Summer Olympics
. Ivar Mathisen remained his partner in the K-2 canoe during these years.
In 1953 Østby competed in the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Meran, Italy
. He was considered as being without any sporting hopes for the competition, having no prior experience with whitewater kayaking
—the newspaper Verdens Gang
quoted him as saying "I don't even know what kind of boat to use". The participation was essentially regarded as a test to see whether slalom kayaking should be taken up in Norway—where it was largely unknown, despite the country's abundance of whitewater locations. Østby was the only competitor from Norway, but the vice chairman of Norwegian Canoe Association travelled with him to help evaluate the championship. The stay and the travel to Italy was paid for in full by the Italian arrangement committee. As it turned out, whitewater kayaking did not reach Norway until the 1960s, and was not organized within the Norwegian Canoe Association until 1972.
Østby continued his career in sprint canoeing. At the 1956 Summer Olympics
he finished eighth in the K-1 10000 m
event, and competed without reaching the final in the K-1 1000 m
event. In domestic competitions, he took fifteen national titles between 1946 and 1959, and won the King's Cup for best canoer in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
Østby lived in Sandvika
. He died in August 2010.
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...
sprint canoer
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
who competed from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at 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...
in 1948
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
and another in the K-2 1000 m event at the 1950 World Championships.
Career
Østby was born in ModumModum
Modum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vikersund. The municipality of Modum was established on 1 January 1838 .The area has a long tradition of skiing with several famous...
, but grew up in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, and was a member of Bærum KK
Bærum KK
Bærum Kajakklubb is a sports club from Bærum, Norway.Established in 1935, its only sport is canoe racing. It is based at Kalvøya outside of Sandvika, and has shared the locality with the rowing club Bærum RK since 1972....
. He was a new name in Norwegian and international kayaking after 1945, as most of the pre-war organized sporting activity had been put on ice during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Already in 1948, before the Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
that year, Østby and his teammate Ivar Mathisen
Ivar Mathisen
Ivar Mathisen was a Norwegian sprint canoer who competed in the 1940s and early 1950s. He received a silver medal in the K-2 10000 m event at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London with Knut Østby. Mathisen finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m event at those same games.-Early life:He was a member of the...
were considered as having the highest medal hopes in the Norwegian canoeing squad. Østby and Mathisen proceeded to win the silver medal in the K-2 10000 m
Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 10000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 10000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks.-Medalists:-Final:The final took place August 11.-References:* p. 312.*...
event and finished fourth in the K-2 1000 m
Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 1000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 1000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks. Heats and final took place on August 12.-Medalists:-Heats:...
. At the 1950 World Championships he won another silver medal in the K-2 1000 m event. Two years later he finished fifth in both the K-2 1000 m
Canoeing at the 1952 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 1000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 1000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1952 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks. Heats and final took place on July 28.-Medalists:-Heats:...
and the K-2 10000 m
Canoeing at the 1952 Summer Olympics - Men's K-2 10000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-2 10000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1952 Summer Olympics. The K-2 event is raced by two-man canoe sprint kayaks.-Medalists:-Final:The final took place July 27.-References:* p. 631.*...
events at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
. Ivar Mathisen remained his partner in the K-2 canoe during these years.
In 1953 Østby competed in the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Meran, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was considered as being without any sporting hopes for the competition, having no prior experience with whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
—the newspaper Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
quoted him as saying "I don't even know what kind of boat to use". The participation was essentially regarded as a test to see whether slalom kayaking should be taken up in Norway—where it was largely unknown, despite the country's abundance of whitewater locations. Østby was the only competitor from Norway, but the vice chairman of Norwegian Canoe Association travelled with him to help evaluate the championship. The stay and the travel to Italy was paid for in full by the Italian arrangement committee. As it turned out, whitewater kayaking did not reach Norway until the 1960s, and was not organized within the Norwegian Canoe Association until 1972.
Østby continued his career in sprint canoeing. At the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
he finished eighth in the K-1 10000 m
Canoeing at the 1956 Summer Olympics - Men's K-1 10000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-1 10000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1956 Summer Olympics. The K-1 event is raced by single-man canoe sprint kayaks...
event, and competed without reaching the final in the K-1 1000 m
Canoeing at the 1956 Summer Olympics - Men's K-1 1000 metres
These are the results of the men's K-1 1000 metres competition in canoeing at the 1956 Summer Olympics. The K-1 event is raced by single-man canoe sprint kayaks. Heat and semifinals took place on December 1.-Medalists:-Heats:...
event. In domestic competitions, he took fifteen national titles between 1946 and 1959, and won the King's Cup for best canoer in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
Østby lived in Sandvika
Sandvika
is the administrative centre of the municipality of Bærum in Norway. It was declared a city by the municipal council in Bærum on 4 June 2003.Sandvika is situated approximately west of Oslo. It is the main transportation hub for Western Bærum, and has a combined bus and railway station. Sandvika is...
. He died in August 2010.