Norway’s Petter Northug jr. Retires

FasterSkier · December 12, 2018

Petter Northug in 2016 at the FIS world cup cross-country sprint, in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

On December 12, in Trondheim, Norway, thirty-two-year-old Petter Northug jr. announced his retirement from the sport.

Northug won four Olympic medals, two of which are gold. He won 16 World Championship medals, 13 of them gold.

He has a total of 38 total wins on the World Cup during his 12 year career,

“I have taken a decision to post as a skier. I told myself that I could not use more energy and effort to fight to continue. I have always lived in the belief that I could manage to turn it around, but I’m a bit satisfied. This was the best solution for me, ” Petter Northug said at his retirement press conference according to a translation of a NRK story.

Northug won with flare and panache, often waiting to the closing meters in epic 50-kilometer races to toe across first. His storm-ahead poling action was a played trick that for a time on the ski tracks could not be overcome, only anticipated.

Northug was a force on and off the ski tracks.

FasterSkier will post a more in-depth story on Northug’s career and retirement.