# Oddvar Brå

Oddvar Brå (born 16 March 1951) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. He was among the best skiers in Norway, the three-times winner of the World Cup (1972–73, then named "World ranking", 1974–75 and 1978–79) and the winner of 16 national championships. His success in the major international championships was more modest.

## Career

Brå participated in the 1972 Winter Olympics and the 1991 Holmenkollen ski festival, but his first individual major international win was at the 1982 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo, where he won the 15 km event. In this championship, he also tied for the gold medal with Alexander Zavyalov of the Soviet Union in the relay after a dramatic finish in which his pole broke. This event remained in the memory of most Norwegians, leading to the popular all-Norwegian expression "Hvor var du da Brå brakk staven?" ("Where were you when Brå’s pole broke?").
Brå also won three relay medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with a gold in 1982 and bronzes in 1974 and 1978. Brå additionally won two silver medals in the 4 × 10 km relay at the 1972 Winter Olympics and the 1980 Winter Olympics, the 15 km at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 1980 and 1982, and the 50 km in 1975, 1979, and 1981. In 1975, Brå was awarded the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Gerhard Grimmer and Ivar Formo).
Brå's best individual achievement in the Olympics was a fourth place in the 15 km event in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. He received the Egebergs Ærespris in 1987 for his accomplishments in cross-country skiing and athletics.

## Cross-country skiing results

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

### Olympic Games

* 2 medals – (2 silver)
| Year | Age | 15 km | 30 km | 50 km | 4 × 10 km  relay |
| 1972 | 21 | 9 | — | — | Silver |
| 1976 | 25 | — | 19 | DNF | — |
| 1980 | 29 | 9 | 12 | 7 | Silver |
| 1984 | 33 | — | 32 | — | — |
| 1988 | 37 | 4 | — | — | 6 |

### World Championships

* 4 medals – (2 gold, 2 bronze)
| Year | Age | 15 km  classical | 15 km  freestyle | 30 km | 50 km | 4 × 10 km  relay |
| 1974 | 23 | 5 | — | 9 | 9 | Bronze |
| 1978 | 27 | — | — | 9 | — | Bronze |
| 1982 | 31 | Gold | — | — | 10 | Gold |
| 1985 | 34 | 18 | — | — | — | — |
| 1987 | 36 | — | — | — | — | 16 |
| 1989 | 38 | 9 | — | — | — | — |

### World Cup
#### Season standings

| Season | Age | Overall |
| 1982 | 31 | 5 |
| 1983 | 32 | 15 |
| 1984 | 33 | 15 |
| 1985 | 34 | 36 |
| 1986 | 35 | 24 |
| 1987 | 36 | NC |
| 1988 | 37 | 13 |
| 1989 | 38 | 30 |
| 1991 | 40 | NC |

#### Individual podiums

* 2 victories
* 4 podiums
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place |
| 1 | 1981–82 | 23 February 1982 | Oslo, Norway | 15 km Individual | World Championships | 1st |
| 2 | 1981–82 | 7 March 1982 | Lahti, Finland | 50 km Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 3 | 1983–84 | 17 March 1984 | Fairbanks, United States | 15 km Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 4 | 1987–88 | 27 March 1988 | Rovaniemi, Finland | 50 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |

#### Team podiums

* 1 victory
* 1 podium
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | Teammates |
| 1 | 1981–82 | 25 February 1982 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 10 km Relay | World Championships | 1st | Eriksen / Aunli / Mikkelsplass |
Note: $^1$ Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.