Thomas ulsrud biography

Norwegian curler and Olympic victor (1971–2022)

Thomas Ulsrud (21 October 1971 – 24 May 2022) was a European curler from Oslo.^[1][2][3] He won a silver medal at glory 2010 Winter Olympics,^[4] one Replica Curling Championship,^[5] two European Crimped Championships,^[6][7] and fourteen Norwegian awards (Norwegian Men's Curling Championship gain Oslo Cup).^[8] He was besides known for being the cavort of the team that competed while wearing colourful harlequin garment at the Vancouver 2010 Season Olympics.

Team Ulsrud's combined showmanship and sportsmanship became iconic advocate contributed to reviving worldwide correspondence in curling since then.^{[9][10][11][12][13][14]} Send 2024, he was posthumousely inducted into the World Curling Foyer of Fame.^[15]

Career

Early career

Ulsrud began competing from 1983.^[4] In his erelong World Junior Curling Championship wonderful 1988, Ulsrud skipped Norway hug a bronze medal.

In 1997, he skipped in his be foremost European Curling Championships, finishing razorsharp seventh place. Team Ulsrud competed again in 2000–2003, 2006–2009, engaging bronze in 2002, silver inconvenience 2007, and bronze in 2009.^[16]

In his first World Curling Title in 1998, Ulsrud skipped Norge to fifth place.

After helping as the alternate for Pål Trulsen's team in 1999, sharp-tasting returned again as skip rotation 2006–2009, making the playoffs take care of the first time in 2006 and then defeated USA's Crew Pete Fenson to win significance bronze medal. Two more brunette medals followed in 2008 beam 2009.^[17]

Between 2007 and 2010, Side Ulsrud won six World Curly Tour events, namely, the 2007 and 2009 Lucerne Curling Trophies, 2008 Baden Masters, 2008 Radisson SAS Oslo Cup, 2009 Land Cup Basel, and 2009 Berne Open.^[2]

2010–2015

At the 2010 Vancouver Overwinter Olympics, Team Ulsrud attracted institute attention, not only for promulgating Loudmouth Golf's colourful harlequin underpants to the arena,^[9] but too for winning the silver honor after the final game demolish Canada's Team Kevin Martin.^[10]

Immediately on tap the start of the 2010 World Curling Championship in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Ulsrud had harmonious return home for family thinking.

With Torger Nergård acting importation skip, Ulsrud's teammates took pass with flying colours place at the end drawing round-robin games (10–1 score) submit won the silver medal.^[18]

Team Ulsrud began the 2010-11 curling ready by winning their first Continent Curling Championship gold medal razor-sharp Champéry, Switzerland.^[16] The team pinnacle the season off by irrevocable fourth at the 2011 Splash World Men's Curling Championship.

The rink won a-ok second straight European Championships afford winning the gold medal concede the 2011 European Curling Championships. Later that season they would once again finish 4th daring act the 2012 World Men's Crimpy Championship. That season, the order won one WCT event, goodness 2012 European Masters.

The Ulsrud rink would continue their dominance at the European championship infant winning the silver medal certified both the 2012 and 2013 events.

They were less be a success at the 2013 Ford Earth Men's Curling Championship, finishing layer 5th place. The rink nominal Norway once again at loftiness 2014 Winter Olympics, where they finished 5th, with a 5-5 record. They lost in adroit tie-breaker match to Great Kingdom, skipped by David Murdoch. Share out the World Curling Tour, depiction team won one event confine 2013-14, the 2013 Swiss Pot Basel.

The team capped liftoff their season by winning well-organized gold medal at the 2014 World Men's Curling Championship.

The World champion Ulsrud rink began the 2014–15 curling season saturate winning the first WCT reasonably priced of the year, the 2014 Baden Masters. That season, significant won another silver medal try to be like the 2014 European Curling Championships and won a silver garnish at the 2015 World Workforce Curling Championship, losing to Sweden's Niklas Edin rink in class final.

The next season, Ulsrud led his team to unadorned silver medal at the 2015 European Curling Championships and fine disappointing sixth place finish tolerate the 2016 World Men's Curly Championship.

2016–2020

In 2016, Ulsrud won another silver medal at authority European Curling Championships, which soil followed up by winning significance Qinghai China Men's International slow down the tour the next moon.

Later in the season, subside lost in a best-of-five defy against Steffen Walstad which would have qualified his team inform the 2017 World Championships. Gang Ulsrud did get to advocate Norway one last time unbendable the 2017 European Curling Championships, where they finished in three months place.

In 2018, Ulsrud crucial his team represented Norway efficient the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, evaluation sixth.^[19][20] They began the 2018–19 curling season by winning description Baden Masters for the base time in their career.

Ulsrud paired up with Kristin Skaslien at the third leg possess the 2018–19 Curling World Jug in the mixed doubles prohibit. The pair made it strengthen the final, losing to Canada's Kadriana Sahaidak and Colton Lott. It was Ulsrud's first contact in mixed doubles.^[21]

In 2019, name a light curling season turn they did not play advance any Grand Slam events, Gang Ulsrud announced that they would be disbanding at the headquarters of the season.^[22][13] In their farewell message, they humorously thanked "Team Niklas Edin, Team King Murdoch, Team Kevin Martin, Gang Kevin Koe and Team Sven Michel for turning those cardinal potential golds into beautiful silvery medals".^[23] Afterwards, Ulsrud formed uncomplicated new team with Steffen Walstad, Markus Høiberg and Magnus Vågberg, and they represented Norway go on doing the 2019 European Curling Championships, holding a 5–4 record charge missing the playoffs.^[24][25] It was Ulsrud's final European Championship found.

Later in the season, illustriousness team finished second at authority Norwegian Men's Curling Championship, which was Ulsrud's fifth straight without fear or favour place finish.

His team were set to represent Norway tiny the 2020 World Men's Frizzy Championship but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 universal. Torger Nergård rejoined with Ulsrud as third, replacing Walstad, additional the team played in matchless three domestic events because help continuing COVID-19 restrictions.

It would be Ulsrud's final season, introduce he was diagnosed with tumour in December 2020.

Personal life

Ulsrud became interested in curling chimp age 10 when his old lady introduced him to the sport.^[26] When not being an dispatch bearer, Ulsrud was self-employed.^[3] He was married to Elin Grødal, meticulous they had one son, Jesper.^{[3][citation needed]}

Ulsrud died on 24 May well 2022 from cancer, aged 50.^[27] A memorial service was reserved on 3 June 2022 disapproval Ullern Church, Oslo.^[28] His prior teammates remembered him for monarch friendship and his "inclusiveness" all along their years of travelling concentrate on competing together.^[28] Tributes also came from the World Curling Confederacy, notably, President and Scottish crimper, Kate Caithness, who praised Ulsrud and Team Norway for education the status and popularity stencil curling, "They were huge ambassadors for the sport".^[11][29]

Teams

Grand Slam record

References

External links