Ronny Hafsås
Encyclopedia
Ronny André Hafsås is a Norwegian
biathlete
and cross-country skier.
in Pyeongchang, South Korea
in February 2008. His initial appearance (in a 10 km sprint) was spoiled by bad shooting, but he earned the first World Cup points of his career in the pursuit that followed, with a 21st place. Hafsås claimed his first top ten placing in the World Cup the next week, placing 9th in another sprint in Khanty-Mansiysk
.
Hafsås' best finish in the Biathlon World Cup so far is a 6th place, which he earned (again in a sprint) during the opening weekend of the 2008-09 season at Östersund
.
victories (one individual and one in a relay), both of which he earned during the opening weekend of the 2009-10 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Beitostølen
, Norway. On November 21, 2009, Hafsås, who had been better established at the professional level as a biathlete, surprisingly won the 15 km freestyle individual competition that opened the year, by the very narrow margin of 0.2 seconds ahead of Vincent Vittoz
. This earned him a spot in the Norwegian team for the next day's 4 x 10 km relay. Hafsås' performance on the third leg wasn't as stellar as the day before, as he gave up some ground to Alexander Legkov
of Russia
and René Sommerfeldt
of Germany
; however, Norway still won thanks to Petter Northug
as the anchor
.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
, he finished 42nd in the 15 km event.
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...
biathlete
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
and cross-country skier.
Biathlon career
Hafsås first competed in the Biathlon World CupBiathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
in Pyeongchang, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in February 2008. His initial appearance (in a 10 km sprint) was spoiled by bad shooting, but he earned the first World Cup points of his career in the pursuit that followed, with a 21st place. Hafsås claimed his first top ten placing in the World Cup the next week, placing 9th in another sprint in Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk experiences a subarctic climate . The climate is extreme, with temperatures as low as -49 C° and as high as 34.5 C°. On average, however, the region is very cold, with an average tempurature of -1.1 C°...
.
Hafsås' best finish in the Biathlon World Cup so far is a 6th place, which he earned (again in a sprint) during the opening weekend of the 2008-09 season at Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
.
Cross-country skiing career
As a cross-country skier, Hafsås has two World CupFIS Cross-Country World Cup
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31...
victories (one individual and one in a relay), both of which he earned during the opening weekend of the 2009-10 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Beitostølen
Beitostølen
Beitostølen is a village in Øystre Slidre, Norway. As of 1 January 2009, it had 247 residents, and is located above mean sea level. It is largely a tourist area, with many cabins and hotels serving various winter sports facilities. The village has hosted FIS Cross-Country World Cup and Biathlon...
, Norway. On November 21, 2009, Hafsås, who had been better established at the professional level as a biathlete, surprisingly won the 15 km freestyle individual competition that opened the year, by the very narrow margin of 0.2 seconds ahead of Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz is a French cross-country skier. He grew up in the town of La Clusaz in the Northern French Alps and has been competing since 1982...
. This earned him a spot in the Norwegian team for the next day's 4 x 10 km relay. Hafsås' performance on the third leg wasn't as stellar as the day before, as he gave up some ground to Alexander Legkov
Alexander Legkov
Alexander Gennadiyevich Legkov is a Russian cross country skier who has been competing since 2002...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and René Sommerfeldt
René Sommerfeldt
René Sommerfeldt is a German cross-country skier who competed from 1994 to 2010. He won 2 medals in the 4 x 10 km relays at the Winter Olympics with a silver in 2006 and a bronze in 2002...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
; however, Norway still won thanks to Petter Northug
Petter Northug
Petter Northug Jr. is a Norwegian cross country skier and double Olympic champion. He has 9 World Championship and Winter Olympic gold medals with 13 medals overall, and nine individual FIS Cross-Country World Cup wins with 20 podium places...
as the anchor
Anchor leg
Anchor leg refers to the final position in a relay race. The term is commonly used with respect to relays in athletics. Typically, the anchor leg of a relay is given to the fastest or most experienced competitor on a team...
.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, he finished 42nd in the 15 km event.