# Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset

Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (born 6 December 1971 in Nordfjordeid) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier who competed from 1993 to 2012.
A classical technique specialist, Hjelmeset's biggest success is the gold medal in the 50 km event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo. At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships he won eight medals (all in the classical style). This includes five gold medals (50 km: 2007, 4 × 10 km relay: 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009) and three bronze medals (1999: 10 km, 2001: 15 km, and 2005: 50 km).
Hjelmeset has also competed on the national level in athletics, and won the bronze medal at the Norwegian championships in the 3000 metre steeplechase in 1996 and 1999.
The 2007 season was Hjelmeset's best. He won two gold medals at the World Championships in Sapporo, then a World Cup race in Lahti, before winning the 50 km individual start in Holmenkollen where he had won the sprint event in 2000. Hjelmeset was awarded the Holmenkollen medal in 2007 (Shared with Frode Estil, King Harald V, and Queen Sonja).
He retired after he failed to qualify for the 2011 Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo. He last World Cup race was the 50 kilometre at the 2012 Holmenkollen Ski Festival, where he finished 52nd.

## Cross-country skiing results

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

### Olympic Games

* 2 medals – (1 silver, 1 bronze)
| Year | Age | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | 50 km | Sprint | 4 × 10 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| 2002 | 30 | 20 | — | — | Bronze | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 34 | 27 | — | — | — | — | 5 | — |
| 2010 | 38 | — | — | — | 17 | — | Silver | — |

### World Championships

* 8 medals – (5 gold, 3 bronze)
| Year | Age | 10 km | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | 50 km | Sprint | 4 × 10 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| 1999 | 27 | Bronze | — | 17 | — | 28 | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 29 | — | Bronze | — | — | 5 | — | Gold | — |
| 2003 | 31 | — | 10 | DNF | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 33 | — | — | DNF | — | Bronze | 5 | Gold | — |
| 2007 | 35 | — | — | — | — | Gold | 7 | Gold | — |
| 2009 | 37 | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | Gold | — |

### World Cup
#### Season standings

| Season | Age | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings |
| Season | Age | Overall | Distance | Long Distance | Middle Distance | Sprint | Nordic Opening | Tour de Ski | World Cup Final |
| 1993 | 21 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 22 | NC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 23 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 24 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 25 | 38 | — | 34 | — | 46 | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 26 | 20 | — | 11 | — | 27 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 27 | 17 | — | 29 | — | 11 | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 28 | | — | 17 | 5 | | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 29 | 5 | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 30 | 25 | — | — | — | 74 | — | — | — |
| 2003 | 31 | 25 | — | — | — | 26 | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 32 | 35 | 34 | — | — | 26 | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 33 | 14 | 17 | — | — | 19 | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 34 | 18 | 39 | — | — | 14 | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 35 | 5 | | — | — | 16 | — | DNF | — |
| 2008 | 36 | 18 | 12 | — | — | 40 | — | 22 | — |
| 2009 | 37 | 72 | 45 | — | — | NC | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 38 | 98 | 57 | — | — | NC | — | — | — |
| 2011 | 39 | 124 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | 40 | NC | NC | — | — | — | — | — | — |

#### Individual podiums

* 9 victories (8 WC, 1 SWC)
* 21 podiums (19 WC, 2 SWC)
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place |
| 1 | 1997–98 | 13 March 1998 | Oslo, Norway | 50 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 2 | 1998–99 | 22 February 1999 | Ramsau, Austria | 10 km Individual C | World Championships | 3rd |
| 3 | 1999–00 | 27 November 1999 | Kiruna, Sweden | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st |
| 4 | 1999–00 | 27 December 1999 | Engelberg, Switzerland | 1.0 km Sprint C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 5 | 1999–00 | 28 February 2000 | Stockholm, Sweden | 1.0 km Sprint C | World Cup | 1st |
| 6 | 1999–00 | 8 March 2000 | Oslo, Norway | 1.0 km Sprint C | World Cup | 1st |
| 7 | 1999–00 | 17 March 2000 | Bormio, Italy | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 8 | 2000–01 | 25 November 2000 | Beitostølen, Norway | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st |
| 9 | 2000–01 | 20 December 2000 | Davos, Switzerland | 30 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 10 | 2000–01 | 1 February 2001 | Asiago, Italy | 1.5 km Sprint F | World Cup | 1st |
| 11 | 2003–04 | 18 February 2004 | Stockholm, Sweden | 1.1 km Sprint C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 12 | 2004–05 | 13 February 2005 | Reit im Winkl, Germany | 1.2 km Sprint C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 13 | 2004–05 | 12 March 2005 | Oslo, Norway | 50 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 14 | 2005–06 | 22 January 2006 | Oberstdorf, Germany | 1.2 km Sprint C | World Cup | 1st |
| 15 | 2006–07 | 25 November 2006 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 1.2 km Sprint C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 16 | 2006–07 | 27 January 2007 | Otepää, Estonia | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 17 | 2006–07 | 11 March 2007 | Lahti, Finland | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st |
| 18 | 2006–07 | 17 March 2007 | Oslo, Norway | 50 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st |
| 19 | 2007–08 | 8 December 2007 | Davos, Switzerland | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 20 | 2007–08 | 28 December 2007 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 4.5 km Individual C | Stage World Cup | 3rd |
| 21 | 2007–08 | 5 January 2008 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 20 km Mass Start C | Stage World Cup | 1st |
Note: $^1$ Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

#### Team podiums

* 8 victories (8 RL)
* 17 podiums (16 RL, 1 TS)
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | Teammate(s) |
| 1 | 1996–97 | 9 March 1997 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Skaanes / Sørgård / Alsgaard |
| 2 | 1998–99 | 10 January 1999 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 3rd | Jevne / Jermstad / Hetland |
| 3 | 1998–99 | 21 March 1999 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 10 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Estil / Bjervig / Aukland |
| 4 | 1999–00 | 19 December 1999 | Davos, Switzerland | 4 x 10 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Jevne / Bjervig / Estil |
| 5 | 1999–00 | 13 January 2000 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 4 ×10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Jevne / Skjeldal / Alsgaard |
| 6 | 2000–01 | 26 November 2000 | Beitostølen, Norway | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Bjonviken / Skjeldal / Hetland |
| 7 | 2001–02 | 24 November 2001 | Kuopio, Finland | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Jevne / Bjerkeli / Hetland |
| 8 | 2002–03 | 8 December 2002 | Davos, Switzerland | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 3rd | Estil / Skjeldal / Bjervig |
| 9 | 2003–04 | 23 November 2003 | Beitostølen, Norway | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Svartedal / Berger / Hofstad |
| 10 | 2003–04 | 22 February 2004 | Umeå, Sweden | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Estil / Skjeldal / Hofstad |
| 11 | 2003–04 | 6 March 2004 | Lahti, Finland | 6 × 1.0 km Team Sprint C | World Cup | 3rd | Svartedal |
| 12 | 2004–05 | 12 December 2004 | Lago di Tesero, Italy | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Svartedal / Estil / Hofstad |
| 13 | 2004–05 | 20 March 2005 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Svartedal / Skjeldal / Hofstad |
| 14 | 2005–06 | 15 January 2006 | Lago di Tesero, Italy | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 3rd | Svartedal / Gjerdalen / Hofstad |
| 15 | 2006–07 | 25 March 2007 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Pettersen / Estil / Northug |
| 16 | 2007–08 | 23 November 2007 | Beitostølen, Norway | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Rønning / Eilifsen / Gjerdalen |
| 17 | 2007–08 | 24 February 2008 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 10 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Svartedal / Østensen / Gjerdalen |