Info

The Sondre web site was created by Norwegian writer Anne-Gry Blikom and journalist Eivind Molde. It was launched in May 2002, and has been updated with additional content since then. During the first ten years, it was visited by people from close to 80 countries in all parts of the world.

The Norwegian ski legend Sondre Norheim is a familiar name in all parts of the ski interested world. A lot of material about Sondre was published over the years – he is discussed in books, newspapers, magazines, TV specials, at web sites – and he is presented at ski museums.

Our goal with this site, is to present the most important information about Sondre and related material, in one place, concisely. We want to tell briefly about his life, family, achievements, and show the places where he lived and is buried – as well as informing readers the way this famous skier from Telemark has been honoured even after his death.

This is also the place where the Olympic Torch events in Sondre's home village Morgedal are presented in text and pictures.

The material which we present at the site, is based on data from many sources. We have picked information from several books, articles published on the web, a lot of media reports such as newspaper articles and TV specials about Sondre, from government sources, from material available at museums and material published by ski historians.

Valuable input was received through visits with Anne Grethe Bakke and Jakob Dyrkolbotn at the Norwegian Ski Museum Morgedal (Norsk Skieventyr) in Morgedal, Rune Flaten at the Ski Museum in Holmenkollen, Oslo, and Ingun Mjaaland at the Norwegian Ski Association – Telemark.

Also we felt privileged to talk with Sondre’s relatives – his great grandchild Dorothy Lyon of Atlanta, Georgia and Eivind Strondi of Morgedal, Sondre’s grandnephew.

We have received pictures and other material from Hege Bjåland and Svein Brekke of Morgedal.

In addition we have talked to people who have been involved in honouring Sondre’s memory in different ways, like Ragnhild Hagen from the Friends of Minot Club in Telemark and Pam Davy at the Norsk Høstfest Association in Minot, North Dakota.

From Dakota we have been provided with pictures, articles and other material thanks to Frances Lovelace at the Norsk Høstfest – and Høstfest volunteers Craig Nansen and George and Jeanice Officer. Former officers and members of the Norway Lutheran Church south of Denbigh, Lillian and Myron Espeseth, have shared information from their personal files. Pam has been our contact person for all information out of North Dakota.

Thanks to all who have shared information and material with us and in other ways given us valuable input during this project.

And a special thanks to Kitty Peterson of Minot.

We hope you will find the Sondre site interesting!

Sources

People
  • Dorothy Lyon, Sondre’s great grandchild
  • Eivind Strondi, Sondre’s grandnephew
  • Anne Grethe Bakke and Jakob Dyrkolbotn, Norwegian Ski Museum Morgedal (Norsk Skieventyr), Morgedal
  • Rune Flaten, the Ski Museum, Holmenkollen, Oslo
  • Ingun Mjaaland, Norwegian Ski Association – Telemark
  • Ragnhild Hagen, Friends of Minot Club
  • Hege Bjåland and Svein Brekke, Morgedal
  • Pam Davy and Frances Lovelace, Norsk Høstfest Association
  • Craig Nansen, George and Jeanice Officer, Høstfest volunteers
  • Lillian and Myron Espeseth, former officers and members of the Norway Lutheran Church
Books
  • Karin Berg: Ski i Norge (Aventura 1993)
  • Tor Bomann-Larsen: Den evige sne – en skihistorie om Norge (J.W.Cappelens Forlag 1993)
  • Olav Bø: På ski gjennom historia (Det Norske Samlaget 1992)
  • Olav Christensen: Skiidrett før Sondre – vinterveien til et nasjonalt selvbilde (Ad Notam Gyldendal 1993)
  • Kjell Haarstad: Skisportens oppkomst i Norge (Tapir Forlag 1993)
  • Halvor Kleppen: På Telemarkski – ny stil i gamle spor/Telemarkskiing – Norway’s gift to the world (Det Norske Samlaget 1986)
  • Torjus Loupedalen: Morgedal – skisportens vogge (H.Aschehoug&Co 1947)
  • Finn Olstad: Norsk idretts historie – forsvar, sport og klassekamp 1861-1939 (bind 1) (Aschehoug 1987)
  • Kjetil Steinsholt/Knut Høihjelle: Sondre Nordheim fra Morgedal (Tapir Forlag 1993)
  • Jakob Vaage: Norske skiløpere (Skiforlaget – Erling Ranheim 1957)
  • Jakob Vaage: Skienes verden (Hjemmenes forlag 1979)
  • Jakob Vaage/Olav Bjaaland: Ski og Sudpol – Olav Bjaalands Museum (1970)
Other sources
  • Sondre Norheim fra Morgedal (the Sondre movie) (Johan Vestly) NRK TV
  • En kunstners arbeid – Sondre i Amerika (Johan Vestly) NRK TV
  • Sondre – eit hundreårsminne (Halvor Kleppen) TV 2
  • Information available at the Ski Museum in Holmenkollen, Oslo, and the Norwegian Ski Museum Morgedal (Norsk Skieventyr) in Morgedal
  • Web sites, newspaper articles and other media reports

The Sondre Book

Anne-Gry Blikom and Eivind Molde have also written a book about Sondre, "Sondre Norheim - The Father of Modern Skiing".

Released in October 2003 by North American Heritage Press of Minot, North Dakota, this book tells what you need to know about the legendary Norwegian skier.

The book is based on the content of the Sondre web site, but there are more text and more pictures (more than 100) in the book than you find on the web. 
You will also find more about Sondre's life in Norway and the United States in the book. 

The book can be purchased from Amazon.

Sponsor

Some of the photos at this web site are available thanks to financial support from our sponsor, Telemark profilering og identitet.

 

SONDRE NORHEIM

The Skiing Pioneer of Telemark
email@sondrenorheim.com
Copyright © 2024 by Anne-Gry Blikom and Eivind Molde
All rights reserved