Gunde Svan

Gunde Anders Svan (born 12 January 1962) is a Swedish former cross-country skier and auto racing driver. During his cross-country skiing career he won a total of four gold, one silver and one bronze medals at the Winter Olympics. Svan won a total of seven golds (15 km - 1989; 30 km and 4 × 10 km relay - 1985, 1991; 50 km - 1985, 1989; and 4 × 10 km relay - 1987), three silvers (15 km, 50 km, 4 × 10 km relay (all 1991)), and one bronze (4 × 10 km relay - 1985) at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Svan also won the 15 km once (1983) and the 50 km twice (1986, 1990) at the Holmenkollen ski festival. In 1984, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal, and in 1985, he earned the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Anette Bøe and Per Bergerud). He is currently active as a board member of the International Ski Federation.

Gunde Svan
Gunde Svan in 2019
Country Sweden
Full nameGunde Anders Svan
Born (1962-01-12) 12 January 1962
Dala-Järna, Sweden
Spouse(s)Marie Svan
Ski clubDala-Järna IK
World Cup career
Seasons19821991
Individual wins30
Team wins9
Indiv. podiums46
Team podiums14
Indiv. starts71
Team starts14
Overall titles5 – (19841986, 1988, 1989)

Biography

During his skiing career he became known for his dedication and attention to details. For instance he used a lighter alloy on the tips of his ski poles saving four grams. He won two golds (15 km and relay), one bronze (30 km) and one silver (50 km) at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, he won two golds for 50 km and relay. He also won the World championship gold six times and won the World cup five times.

As a competitor in rallycross he got one gold medal in the Swedish Championship and a bronze medal in the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers (1995: Division 1 – Group N category; with a Toyota Celica GT-Four). One of the reasons for getting into another sport was that some people called him a natural skier while he himself maintained that it's just a matter of will and dedication, according to his famous tagline "nothing is impossible". He applied the same methods to his driving as his skiing and even built his own reaction-tester to practice for the rallycross eminently important starts. When his compatriot and teamboss, the late Christer Bohlin, was not able to fulfill his promise to upgrade his Toyota team for 1996 into the top ERC category (Division 2 by then), Svan quit and gave up rallycross.

After retiring from his athletic career he has worked as the host for some game shows such as the Swedish version of American Gladiators, Fort Boyard and Bingolotto. He has played a seductive lady in the short movie En handelsresandes nöd, directed by Svenne Rubin and starring Claes Månsson, Björn Skifs and Gert Klötzke. He has also appeared in numerous commercials including a famous commercial where he impersonated fellow skier Thomas Wassberg.

Svan resigned from his position as Chief of Cross-Country for Sweden on the week of 4 May 2009 after he was involved in its reorganization.

He participated in Let's Dance 2018 broadcast on TV4 where he finished third together with Jeanette Carlsson.

He retired to his 1000 hectare forest farm, where he worked with his son, Ferry Svan, and now supports his children's careers.[1]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[2]

Olympic Games

  • 6 medals – (4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year   Age   15 km  30 km  50 km  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
198422GoldBronzeSilverGold
1988261410GoldGold

World Championships

  • 11 medals – (7 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km  15 km 
 classical 
 15 km 
 freestyle 
 30 km  50 km  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
198220N/A13N/A
198523N/A5N/AGoldGoldBronze
198725N/AN/A7Gold
198927N/A6GoldGoldGold
199129N/ASilverGoldSilverSilver

World Cup

Season titles

  • 5 titles – (5 overall)
Season
Discipline
1984Overall
1985Overall
1986Overall
1988Overall
1989Overall

Season standings

 Season   Age  Overall
19822057
1983212
1984221
1985231
1986241
1987253
1988261
1989271
1990282
1991298

Individual podiums

  • 30 victories
  • 46 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
11982–8312 March 1983 Oslo, Norway50 km IndividualWorld Cup3rd
219 March 1983 Anchorage, United States15 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
327 March 1983 Labrador City, Canada30 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
41983–8416 December 1983 Ramsau, Austria30 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
510 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia30 km IndividualOlympic Games[1]3rd
613 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia15 km IndividualOlympic Games[1]1st
719 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia50 km IndividualOlympic Games[1]2nd
825 February 1984 Falun, Sweden30 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
92 March 1984 Lahti, Finland15 km IndividualWorld Cup3rd
1010 March 1984 Oslo, Norway50 km IndividualWorld Cup3rd
1117 March 1984 Fairbanks, United States15 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
121984–859 December 1984 Cogne, Italy15 km IndividualWorld Cup3rd
1318 January 1985 Seefeld, Austria30 km IndividualWorld Championships[1]1st
1427 January 1985 Seefeld, Austria50 km IndividualWorld Championships[1]1st
1516 February 1985 Aleko, Bulgaria15 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
1623 February 1985 Syktyvkar, Soviet Union15 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
179 March 1985 Falun, Sweden30 km IndividualWorld Cup1st
1814 March 1985 Oslo, Norway15 km IndividualWorld Cup2nd
191985–868 December 1985 Labrador City, Canada15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
2014 December 1985 Biwabik, United States30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2111 January 1986 La Bresse, France30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
2215 January 1986 Bohinj, Yugoslavia5 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
2314 February 1986 Oberstdorf, West Germany50 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2423 February 1986 Kavgolovo, Soviet Union15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
252 March 1986 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
2614 March 1986 Oslo, Norway50 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
271986–8710 December 1986 Ramsau, Austria15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2813 December 1986 Cogne, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
291987–8812 December 1987 La Clusaz, France15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
3015 December 1987 Kastelruth, Italy30 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
3119 December 1987 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
3227 February 1988 Calgary, Canada50 km Individual FOlympic Games[1]1st
331988–8910 December 1988 Ramsau, Austria15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
3414 December 1988 Bohinj, Yugoslavia30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
3517 December 1988 Val di Sole, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
3613 January 1989 Nové Město, Czechoslovakia15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
3715 January 1989 Nové Město, Czechoslovakia30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
3820 February 1989 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]1st
3926 February 1989 Lahti, Finland50 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]1st
401989–9013 January 1990 Moscow, Soviet Union30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
4121 February 1990 Val di Fiemme, Italy30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
426 March 1990 Trondheim, Norway15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
4317 March 1990 Vang, Norway50 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
441990–917 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy30 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]1st
459 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]2nd
4617 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy50 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]2nd

Team podiums

  • 9 victories
  • 14 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
11983–8416 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia4 × 10 km RelayOlympic Games[1]1stWassberg / Kohlberg / Ottosson
225 February 1984 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km RelayWorld Cup1stÖstlund / Wassberg / Ottosson
3 1984–85 24 January 1985 Seefeld, Austria4 × 10 km RelayWorld Championships[1]3rdÖstlund / Wassberg / Eriksson
410 March 1985 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km RelayWorld Cup2ndÖstlund / Wassberg / Mogren
517 March 1985 Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km RelayWorld Cup1stEriksson / Danielsson / Wassberg
61985–869 March 1986 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup1stÖstlund / Eriksson / Mogren
713 March 1986 Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup1stÖstlund / Eriksson / Mogren
81986–8717 February 1987 Oberstdorf, West Germany4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Championships[1]1stÖstlund / Wassberg / Mogren
91987–8824 February 1988 Calgary, Canada4 × 10 km Relay FOlympic Games[1]1stOttosson / Wassberg / Mogren
1013 March 1988 Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup1stOttosson / Mogren / Majbäck
1117 March 1988 Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup2ndOttosson / Mogren / Majbäck
121988–8924 February 1989 Lahti, Finland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Championships[1]1stMajbäck / Håland / Mogren
13 1990–91 15 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Championships[1]2ndEriksson / Majbäck / Mogren
141 March 1991 Lahti, Finland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndEriksson / Mogren / Forsberg

Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

Racing record

Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results

Division 1

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Position Points
1994 Christer Bohlin Motorsport Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD AUT
5
POR
6
FRA
3
IRE
(8)
GBR
5
SWE
7
FIN
2
BEL
(7)
NED
(7)
NOR
(8)
GER
3
5th 92
1995 Christer Bohlin Motorsport Toyota Celica GT-Four AUT
3
POR
(5)
FRA
1
SWE
2
GBR
3
IRE
(7)
BEL
3
NED
3
NOR
(6)
FIN
2
CZE
2
GER
(4)
3rd 131

References

  1. "Cross-country skiing legend Gunde Svan: "Forestry work is a nice counterbalance to TV work"". Valtra. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  2. "SVAN Gunde". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
Preceded by
Håkan Carlquist
Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
1984
Succeeded by
Patrik Sjöberg
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