Marit Bjørgen also ended her skiing season over the weekend with a bang — a string of victories in the last World Cup event with another win on Sunday, which also happened to be her 30th birthday.
Bjørgen had a great day on Saturday, with another “pure Norwegian” victory in the women’s 5-km Classic + 5-km Free Ski World Cup race in Falun, Sweden (photo). She placed first, followed by Kristin Størmer Steira (center) in second place and Therese Johaug (right) in third.
That was just the warm-up to her birthday celebration on Sunday that included winning the women’s 10-km Free ‘Handicap’ World Cup race, beating both Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland and Charlotte Kalla of Sweden.
And that victory meant she got to stand on the winners’ podium once again, collecting her prizes while spectators sang a birthday song and, in true Swedish style, burst into three hearty “hurrahs.”
Bjørgen, who collected three gold medals at the Olympics in Vancouver plus a silver and bronze, was one huge smile. Her day began early, she told reporters, when all the members of the Norwegian women’s ski team woke her up with a traditional birthday song, champagne and earrings.
Now it’s time to “lower her shoulders,” as the Norwegians would say, take a break, and look forward to next year’s skiing season when the World Championships will be held on home turf in Oslo.
Views and News staff
