Skiing legend Petter Northug unveils statue in his honour in hometown, attracting 2000 spectators

On Saturday afternoon, a statue of Petter Northug was unveiled, attracting 2000 spectators. The statue is located in Framverran, Inderøy municipality, the hometown of the skiing legend. Ahead of the unveiling, a mini sprint race for children and a show sprint featuring Northug himself were held.

Northug and his mother were the ones to reveal the sculpture. The artist, Tore Bjørn Skjølsvik, was given the honour of creating the statue. Northug was moved by the number of people who attended the event and expressed his feelings towards the statue. The sculpture portrays Northug on the ski tracks, a familiar sight to many fans.

Northug stated that it felt strange to already have a statue at the age of 38, making him feel suddenly old. He believes that the statue’s location in his hometown, which holds great significance for him, might inspire others and become an attraction.

Northug praised Skjølsvik’s work, calling his sculpture beautiful. Skjølsvik himself expressed surprise at being chosen for the task, stating that he usually sees himself as a runner-up rather than a victor. However, he enjoyed the project and was delighted that Northug liked it.

Former TV 2 reporter and ski journalist Ernst A. Lersveen played a pivotal role in securing funding for the statue. He was also present at the unveiling, where he described the statue as powerful and unique. Lersveen followed Northug’s career closely, and he believes that the statue is a token of gratitude for the joy Northug brought to his fans and his hometown.

Northug has an impressive skiing career behind him, including two Olympic gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, as well as 13 gold and three silver medals in the World Championships. He has also won the overall World Cup twice and the Tour de Ski in the 2014/15 season.