Sondre Norheim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sondre Norheim |
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Photograph of Sondre Norheim ca. 1880
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| Country |  Norway |
| Born | 10 June 1825 Morgedal, Telemark, Norway |
| Died | 9 March 1897 (aged 71) North Dakota, US |
| Personal best | 19.5 m (64 ft) Brunkeberg, Norway (March 8, 1868) |
Sondre Norheim, born Sondre Auverson, was a Norwegian skier. He lived from June 10, 1825, to March 9, 1897. Sondre is known as a pioneer of modern skiing. Many people call him the "father of Telemark skiing" because of his important ideas.
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Early Life and Skiing Innovations
Sondre Auverson was born in a small farmer's home called Øverbø. He grew up in a village named Morgedal in Telemark, Norway. Skiing was very popular there. Sondre loved downhill skiing and became famous for his amazing skills.
He created new and better skiing equipment. He designed different bindings to hold boots more securely. He also made shorter skis with curved sides. These changes made it much easier to turn while skiing. He even designed the Telemark ski, which is a model for many skis today.
People at the time saw Sondre Norheim as a true master of skiing. He was great at regular skiing, jumping, and slalom (skiing around gates). In 1868, he won the first national skiing competition in Christiania. He beat younger skiers by a lot! His fame helped make Norwegian words like "ski" and "slalom" known all over the world.
Sondre's Family Life
On January 15, 1854, Sondre Norheim married Rannei Åmundsdotter. She was from a nearby village called Øyfjell. Their first daughter, Ingerid, was born in March 1854. They had many more children: Hæge (who sadly died young), Olav, another Hæge, Anne, Auver, Åmund, and Talleiv. They also lost their son Auver when he was 12 years old.
Sondre and Rannei's family moved to different places in Morgedal. Their last home was called "Norheim." Sondre liked this name so much that he decided to use it as his new family name.
Moving to America
On May 30, 1884, Sondre and Rannei left Norway. Three of their children, Anne, Åmund, and Talleiv, went with them. Their son Olav and daughter Hæge had already left home. Their oldest daughter, Ingerid, chose to stay in Norway.
Sondre followed many of his neighbors from Morgedal who had moved to the United States. They first settled in Minnesota. Later, they moved to North Dakota, near a town called Villard.
Even in North Dakota, Sondre kept skiing when he could. However, the flat land and different weather made it hard for downhill skiing. People said he always had a pair of skis outside his door. As he got older, Sondre became more religious. He even helped build a Lutheran church in Villard. He passed away in 1897 and was buried in Denbigh.
Sondre Norheim's Lasting Legacy
Sondre Norheim has been honored many times for his contributions to skiing. He was recognized at the opening ceremonies of the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. He was also honored at the 1960 Winter Olympics in California and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
His grave was first unmarked, but now a special stone shows where he rests. Every year, during the Norsk Høstfest festival in Minot, North Dakota, groups visit his grave. They hold a service to remember Sondre Norheim.
In 1970, a movie was made about him called Frikaren på ski – The history of Sondre Norheim, the Father of Modern Ski Sport. It was produced by NRK.
In 1984, Sondre Norheim became one of the first people to join the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame. A statue of him, made by Norwegian artist Knut Skinnarland, was put up in 1987 in the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot, North Dakota. In 1988, an identical statue was placed in Morgedal, Norway, by King Olav V. In 1993, the Sondre Norheim Eternal Flame Monument was added to the Scandinavian Heritage Park. A skier from Morgedal, Lars Berge Haugan, lit the flame.
