Petter Northug


Petter Northug Jr. is a Norwegian former cross-country skier and double Olympic champion. He won a total of 13 World Championship and 2 Winter Olympic gold medals with 20 medals overall, and 18 individual FIS Cross-Country World Cup wins with 13 podium places. He is also the record holder for most stage wins in Tour de Ski. By winning his ninth gold medal in the Nordic World Ski Championships in 4 × 10 km relay in Val di Fiemme 2013 he leveled the achievement of Bjørn Dæhlie who had been the most successful World Champion male skier up to that point.

Early life and career

During his early years, Northug was generally considered a star of the future. Whilst he was still a junior Verdens Gang newspaper reported in November 2005 that "the ski manufacturers are fighting to get Northug". Fischer won his signature, and his contract included a base salary, which would be multiplied by five if he made the Norwegian elite team for 2006/07, a goal in which he was successful. The contract also offered bonuses if he won medals in the junior World Championships.
Northug has six gold medals from junior World Championships. His first two gold medals came in 2004/05 in the pursuit and the 10 km freestyle in Rovaniemi, then in 2005/06 in Kranj he won gold in the 10 km classic, the pursuit, the sprint, and the relay. He also has two silver medals. His victories made him the first athlete ever to win five individual gold medals at the FIS Junior Nordic World Ski Championships. During 2005/06 he also took part in the Norwegian National Championships, and won the double pursuit race, beating Frode Estil by 1.9 seconds, and became the first junior to ever win a Norwegian National Championship.
Before he joined the World Cup he competed in a few Continental Cup meetings, but mostly in the Scandinavian Cup. During his Scandinavian Cup career he had seven podium finishes, he came second once in 2004/05, and in 2005/06 he scored four victories, and two second places.

Skiing career

The 2005—006 season was Northug's first in the World Cup, although he competed in one race the season before, a sprint in Drammen, he came 35th. During the 2005/06 season he shared his time equally between the World Cup and the Scandinavian Cup, although in early May 2006 it was announced that Northug would be in the senior national team for the 2006/07 season. Northug also claimed his first World Cup victory in the 2005/06 season, in a pursuit race in Falun, beating 2005/06 World Cup winner Tobias Angerer, who came second, and 2004/05 overall champion Axel Teichmann was third. Then in the last race of the year, a pursuit in Sapporo he claimed another podium place, coming second. He lost to Mathias Fredriksson by 3.8 seconds. He also came seventh, tenth, and twelfth in sprint races, and fifteenth in the 50 km freestyle in Holmenkollen. Northug finished the 2005/06 World Cup season in 14th place overall. He also finished 14th in the distance standings, and 24th in the sprint.
After Norway's disappointing display at the 2006 Winter Olympics, the Norwegian press questioned why Northug was not taken to the Games. Northug himself admitted he was disappointed after not getting selected, especially as he had won the double pursuit in the National Championships earlier in the year. The day after the 2006 Olympics Team was announced, Northug was on the team winning the Norwegian Championships in 4x10 kilometer relay. As he crossed the finish line, he shouted "And I am not going to the Olympics?".
Northug won his first gold medal at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo as a member of the 4 x 10 km relay in 2007. Northug completed the last leg of the relay, beating Sweden and Russia on the sprint for the finish line. He was also in a good position to compete for silverware in the 30 kilometer duathlon, but he fell in the last part of the race and was disappointed to finish fifth.
He was far more successful at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec, where he earned three golds in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit, 4 x 10 km relay and 50 km freestyle mass start. In all three events he sprinted away from the rest of the pack to win the race.
Northug was the runner up to the overall World Cup in the 2008/2009 season, losing to the Swiss Dario Cologna after leading before the final races.
Northug finished in an extremely disappointing 41st place in the first Cross Country event during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A day later, Northug responded with a bronze medal in the Sprint Event. This success was short-lived however, as he broke his pole in the end of the 30 km pursuit, where he was one of the biggest favourites to win. He then won his first Olympic gold, in the Team Sprint, alongside Øystein Pettersen.
Days later he was skiing the anchor leg in the 4 x 10 km relay. When he took over from Lars Berger who was skiing the 3rd leg, he was 37.5 seconds behind the lead group. Despite this he managed to catch and overtake France and the Czech Republic to win Norway a silver medal. Northug then won his first individual medal at the olympics when he won gold at the Men's 50 kilometre classic. Less than two weeks later, he won the 50 kilometre freestyle event at the Holmenkollen, becoming the first skier to win the 50 km at the Winter Olympics, World Championships, and Holmenkollen since Sweden's Gunde Svan reached that triple crown in 1988.
In September 2010 details of Northug's sponsorship contract with soft drink manufacturer Red Bull were publicized by Norwegian broadcaster TV 2, which did not divulge its sources, revealing the most profitable sponsorship agreement with an individual athlete in Norwegian history. For four years, until after the 2014 Winter Olympics, Northug will be receiving a minimum of NOK 1 million annually with a prospect of getting twice the amount if his performances equal those in his most recent seasons.
Northug did not start the 2010–2011 season well, missing the first three weeks of the world cup due illness. His Tour de Ski campaign was also marred by poor results in the opening stages. He however climbed the rankings and finished 2nd after winning the prestigious penultimate stage in Val di Fiemme. In the Holmenkollen World Ski Championship Northug raced in five disciplines, taking 3 gold and 2 silver medals. During the 2011 World Championship, he gained widespread international attention when he controversially crossed the finish-line sideways after convincingly beating his opponents on the last leg of the 4x10 kilometre relay. The gesture was regarded by media as disrespectful, most notably towards his most fierce rival, Marcus Hellner. At the end of the season Northug also won the Season Finale in Sweden, beating his compatriot Finn Haagen Krogh.
In the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013, Northug won the 15 km freestyle for the first time at a World Championships, completing his collection of World Championship gold medals. He again beat the Swedes on the sprint of the 4x10 km relay, securing Norway's 7th World Championship gold medal in a row in the relay. Northug also won a silver in the individual sprint. He was less successful on the team sprint, where he and his teammate, Pål Golberg, went out in the semifinal. Despite being a favorite before the 50 km, Northug finished 21st. He gave the winner, Johan Olsson, his jersey after the race as a gesture of respect.
Northug had an impressive ending to the 2012–13 season. He won 15 km classical individual in Lahti by over half a minute before being victorious in the famous classical sprint in Drammen. In the Season Finale in Sweden, Northug won first two stages, the prestigious classical sprint in Stockholm and free style prologue in Falun, then finished fourth in the penultimate stage, 15k classical mass start, and closed the season by winning the whole mini-tour. Before Lahti, Northug was in the third place in the world cup, 226 points behind the lead; but he finished 180 points ahead of the second place.
The 2013-14 season saw Northug struggle with an illness which severely impacted his performance. Particularly frustrating for him was his inability to fight for medals in the skiathlon and individual sprint of the Sochi Olympics. His lackluster performance by his standards in the 50 km event, which saw him finish a distant 18th in a race he had convincingly won four years earlier, meant he left a major world event without a single medal for the first time in eight years.
Northug showed better physical shape in the 2014/2015 season, and proved to be Sundby's strongest competition during that season's Tour de Ski. Despite leading before the final climb up the Alpe Cermis, he lost to Sundby, who won his second TdS title in a row. In July 2016, Sundby lost that title to Northug, after Sundby's anti-doping rule violation, thereby giving Northug his first Tour de Ski win.
At the 2015 World Championships in Falun, Petter secured his 10th WC gold medal by narrowly beating Canada's Alex Harvey in a bunch sprint to the finish line in the men's classic sprint event. He then proceeded to contribute to Norway's victory in both the team sprint and 4x10km relay. The final race of these World Championships, i.e. the 50 km classical, saw Northug score one of his greatest victories. A victory which left him speechless at the after race press conference, a premiere for the usually voluble Petter. The race was held in difficult conditions due to heavy snowfalls which prevented any breakaway and saw the main favorites fight a tactical battle from start to finish. In the last climb before the finish Northug managed to slot into 3rd to fight for victory in the last dash to the finish line. His now legendary double poling was in full display as he managed to overtake his remaining two opponents to capture one of the most coveted prizes in cross-country skiing.
As of 2015, Northug is unmatched as to number of medals among active cross-country skiers. His tally of 20 Olympic and World Championship medals stands high above his peers.
He announced his retirement from cross-country skiing on 12 December 2018.

Personal life

He has two brothers, Even and Tomas. Tomas Northug also skis professionally and won the Junior World Championships in sprint in 2010. Northug finished school in 2006, but during the summer of 2005 he changed schools from Steinkjer to Meråker and moved into a cabin next to the ski trails to optimize his training conditions.
Northug is an active poker player, and has openly supported the legalization of poker in Norway, which is currently illegal when prizes are involved under Norwegian gambling laws. He participated and cashed in the 2010 World Series of Poker main event which he played with skiing rival Marcus Hellner.
Northug has his own music video called "Rise Again" produced by Jack Taylor and featuring Mo of Norway.

2014 DUI

In the early hours of 4 May 2014, Northug crashed his car, an Audi A7, near his home in Byåsen, Trondheim, while driving under the influence of alcohol. At the time, it was suspected that the car was driving well over the speed limit, which was at the site of the crash. A 23-year-old male passenger broke his collar bone in the crash. After the crash, Northug fled the scene, but was located at his nearby residence by the police using search dogs. In a press release made later the day of the crash, Northug apologised for the incident.
On 15 September 2014, Northug was charged by the Norwegian public prosecutor with five counts of violation of the Norwegian Road Traffic Act and one count of violation of the general civil penal code. The latter charge stemmed from Northug having claimed, in three separate police interrogations on the day of the crash, that his passenger had actually been driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. Due to Northug's initial claims, the passenger had been preliminarily charged with causing the incident.
Because Northug pleaded guilty to all the charges leveled against him, he received a summary trial, which took place on 9 October 2014 at the Sør-Trøndelag District Court in Trondheim. Northug was sentenced to 50 days of prison, ten days less than requested by the prosecutor. He had already served two days of the sentence in police custody after his initial arrest. In addition to the prison time, Northug was fined and lost his driver's license for five years. Northug accepted the verdict and waived his right to appeal.
As a result of the crash, Audi decided not to renew their sponsorship agreement with Northug. Audi had been a sponsor of Northug since June 2011.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation.

Olympic Games

YearAge15 km
individual
30 km
skiathlon
50 km
mass start
Sprint4 × 10 km
relay
Team
sprint
2010244111GoldBronzeSilverGold
2014281618104

World Championships

YearAge15 km
individual
30 km
skiathlon
50 km
mass start
Sprint4 × 10 km
relay
Team
sprint
200721245Gold7
20092329GoldGoldGold
201125GoldGoldSilverGoldSilver
201327Gold421SilverGold11
2015296211GoldGoldGoldGold
20173185

World Cup

Season titles

SeasonDiscipline
2010Overall
2010Distance
2013Overall

Individual podiums

No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
12005–0608.03.2006 Falun, Sweden10 km + 10 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup1st
22005–0619.03.2006 Sapporo, Japan15 km + 15 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup2nd
32006–0705.01.2007 Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup3rd
42006–0710.03.2007 Lahti, Finland1.4 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
52007–0804.01.2008 Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
62008–0922.11.2008 Gällivare, Sweden15 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
72008–0906.12.2008 La Clusaz, France30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
82008–0927.12.2008 Oberhof, Germany3.75 km Individual FStage World Cup3rd
92008–0901.01.2009 Nové Město, Czech Republic1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
102008–0927.12.2008 -
4 January 2009
Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
112008–0907.03.2009 Lahti, Finland1.55 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
122008–0912.03.2009 Trondheim, Norway1.6 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
132009–1012.03.2009 Davos, Switzerland1.7 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
142009–1029.11.2009 Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
152009–1019.12.2009 Rogla, Slovenia1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
162009–1020.12.2009 Rogla, Slovenia30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
172009–1001.01.2010 Oberhof, Germany3.75 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
182009–1002.01.2010 Oberhof, Germany15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
192009–1003.01.2010 Oberhof, Germany1.6 km Sprint CStage World Cup2nd
202009–1006.01.2010 Cortina-Toblach, Italy35 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
212009–1007.01.2010 Toblach, Italy10 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
222009–1009.01.2010 Val di Fiemme, Italy20 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
232009–10 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
242009–1011.03.2010 Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
252009–1013.03.2010 Oslo, Norway50 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
262009–1017.03.2010 Stockholm, Sweden1.0 km Sprint CStage World Cup2nd
272009–1020.03.2010 Falun, Sweden10 km + 10 km Pursuit C/FStage World Cup1st
282009–10 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
292010–1118.12.2010 La Clusaz, France30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup2nd
302010–1131.12.2010 Oberhof, Germany3.75 km Individual FStage World Cup3rd
312010–1105.01.2011 Toblach, Italy1.3 km Sprint FStage World Cup3rd
322010–1105.01.2011 Cortina-Toblach, Italy35 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
332010–1108.01.2011 Val di Fiemme, Italy20 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
342010–1131.12.2010 -
9 January 2011
Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
352010–1119.02.2011 Drammen, Norway15 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
362010–1120.02.2011 Drammen, Norway1.6 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
372010–1116.03.2011 Stockholm, Sweden1.0 km Sprint CStage World Cup2nd
382010–1118.03.2011 Falun, Sweden3.3 km Individual CStage World Cup2nd
392010–1119.03.2011 Falun, Sweden10 km + 10 km Pursuit C/FStage World Cup1st
402010–11 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
412011–1219.11.2011 Sjusjøen, Norway15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
422011–1226.11.2011 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
432011–12 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
442011–1210.12.2011 Davos, Switzerland30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
452011–1217.12.2011 Rogla, Slovenia15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
462011–1229.12.2011 Oberhof, Germany3.75 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
472011–1230.12.2011 Oberhof, Germany15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
482011–1201.01.2012 Oberhof, Germany10 km + 10 km Skiathlon C/FStage World Cup1st
492011–1204.01.2012 Toblach, Italy1.3 km Sprint FStage World Cup2nd
502011–1205.01.2012 Toblach, Italy35 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
512011–1229.12.2011 -
8 January 2012
Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
522012–1330.11.2012 Rukatunturi, Finland1.4 km Sprint CStage World Cup2nd
532012–1301.12.2012 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual FStage World Cup2nd
542012–1330.11.2012 -
2 December 2012
Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
552012–1329.12.2012 Oberhof, Germany4 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
562012–1330.12.2012 Oberhof, Germany15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup3rd
572012–1303.01.2013 Cortina-Toblach, Italy35 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
582012–1303.01.2013 Toblach, Italy5 km Individual CStage World Cup2nd
592012–1301.02.2013 Sochi, Russia1.8 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
602012–1310.03.2013 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
612012–1313.03.2013 Drammen, Norway1.3 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
622012–1320.03.2013 Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CStage World Cup1st
632012–1322.03.2013 Falun, Sweden3.75 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
642012–13 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
652013–1403.01.2014 Cortina-Toblach, Italy35 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
662013–1404.01.2014 Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Individual CStage World Cup1st
672013–1428.12.2013 -
5 January 2014
Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
682014–1529.11.2014 Rukatunturi, Finland1.4 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
692014–1524.12.2014 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
702014–1503.01.2015 Oberstdorf, Germany4 km Individual FStage World Cup3rd
712014–1504.01.2015 Oberstdorf, Germany15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
722014–1506.01.2015 Val Müstair, Switzerland1.4 km Sprint FStage World Cup2nd
732014–1508.01.2015 Toblach, Italy25 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
742014–15 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
752015–1627.11.2015 Rukatunturi, Finland1.4 km Sprint CStage World Cup3rd
762015–16 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
772015–1602.01.2016 Lenzerheide, Switzerland30 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
782015–1603.01.2016 Lenzerheide, Switzerland10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
792015–1603.02.2016 Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
802015–1611.02.2016 Stockholm, Sweden1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
812015–1620.02.2016 Lahti, Finland1.6 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
822015–1602.03.2016 Montreal, Canada17.5 km Mass Start FStage World Cup2nd
832015–1605.03.2016 Quebec City, Canada15 km PursuitStage World Cup2nd
842015–16 Ski Tour CanadaOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd

Team podiums

No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammates
12006–0717.12.2006 La Clusaz, France4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndBjørndalen / Hetland / Rønning
22006–0725.03.2007 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stPettersen Hjelmeset / Estil
32007–0824.02.2008 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSundby / Jespersen / Eilifsen
42008–0923.11.2008 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSundby / Rønning / Hofstad
52008–0907.12.2008 La Clusaz, France4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stHetland / Sundby / Gjerdalen
62009–1022.11.2009 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stRønning / Sundby / Hafsås
72010–1119.12.2010 La Clusaz, France4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdRønning / Sundby / Gjerdalen
82011–1222.11.2011 Sjusjøen, Norway4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stRønning / Krogh / Berger
92011–1212.01.2012 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stRønning / Dyrhaug / Sundby
102012–1325.11.2012 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stRønning / Sundby / Røthe
112013–1408.12.2013 Lillehammer, Norway4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdGolberg / Tønseth / Sundby
122015–1606.12.2015 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stDyrhaug / Holund / Sundby