Oddvar Brå
Oddvar Brå in March, 1980
Country Norway
Born (1951-03-16) 16 March 1951
Hølonda, Norway
Ski clubIL Leik
World Cup career
Seasons9 – (1982–1989, 1991)
Individual wins2
Team wins1
Indiv. podiums4
Team podiums1
Indiv. starts24
Team starts2
Overall titles0 – (5th in 1982)
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place1972 Sapporo4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place1980 Lake Placid4 × 10 km relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1982 Oslo15 km
Gold medal – first place1982 Oslo4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place1974 Falun4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place1978 Lahti4 × 10 km relay

Oddvar Brå (born 16 March 1951) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. He was among the best skiers in Norway, the three-times winner of the World Cup (1972–73, then named "World ranking", 1974–75 and 1978–79) and the winner of 16 national championships. His success in the major international championships was more modest.

Career

Brå participated in the 1972 Winter Olympics and the 1991 Holmenkollen ski festival, but his first individual major international win was at the 1982 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo, where he won the 15 km event. In this championship, he also tied for the gold medal with Alexander Zavyalov of the Soviet Union in the relay after a dramatic finish in which his pole broke. This event remained in the memory of most Norwegians, leading to the popular all-Norwegian expression "Hvor var du da Brå brakk staven?" ("Where were you when Brå’s pole broke?").[1]

Brå also won three relay medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with a gold in 1982 and bronzes in 1974 and 1978. Brå additionally won two silver medals in the 4 × 10 km relay at the 1972 Winter Olympics and the 1980 Winter Olympics, the 15 km at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 1980 and 1982, and the 50 km in 1975, 1979, and 1981. In 1975, Brå was awarded the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Gerhard Grimmer and Ivar Formo).

Brå's best individual achievement in the Olympics was a fourth place in the 15 km event in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. He received the Egebergs Ærespris in 1987 for his accomplishments in cross-country skiing and athletics.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[2]

Olympic Games

  • 2 medals – (2 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km   30 km   50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
1972219——Silver
197625—19DNF—
1980299127Silver
198433—32——
1988374——6

World Championships

  • 4 medals – (2 gold, 2 bronze)
 Year   Age   15 km 
 classical 		  15 km 
 freestyle 		  30 km   50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
1974235—99Bronze
197827——9—Bronze
198231Gold——10Gold
19853418————
198736————16
1989389————

World Cup

Season standings

 Season   Age  Overall
1982315
19833215
19843315
19853436
19863524
198736NC
19883713
19893830
199140NC

Individual podiums

  • 2 victories
  • 4 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
11981–8223 February 1982Norway Oslo, Norway15 km IndividualWorld Championships[1]1st
27 March 1982Finland Lahti, Finland50 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
3 1983–84 17 March 1984United States Fairbanks, United States15 km IndividualWorld Cup3rd
4 1987–88 27 March 1988Finland Rovaniemi, Finland50 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd

Team podiums

  • 1 victory
  • 1 podium
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
11981–8225 February 1982Norway Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km RelayWorld Championships[1]1stEriksen / Aunli / Mikkelsplass

Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

References

  1. ↑ Segal, David (12 February 2018). "Where Were You When Oddvar Bra Broke His Pole?". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "BRAA Oddvar". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
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