Vibeke Skofterud

Vibeke Skofterud
Vibeke Skofterud in May 2015
Country Norway
Full nameVibeke Westbye Skofterud
Born(1980-04-20)20 April 1980
Askim, Norway
Died29 July 2018(2018-07-29) (aged 38)
Arendal, Norway
Ski clubSlitu IF
World Cup career
Seasons15 – (20002014)
Indiv. starts191
Indiv. podiums15
Indiv. wins0
Team starts35
Team podiums23
Team wins17
Overall titles0 – (11th in 2002, 2012)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
2010 Vancouver4 × 5 km relay
World Championships
2005 Oberstdorf4 × 5 km relay
2011 Oslo4 × 5 km relay
2003 Val di Fiemme4 × 5 km relay
2007 Sapporo4 × 5 km relay
Junior World Championships
2000 Štrbské Pleso4 × 5 km relay

Vibeke Westbye Skofterud (20 April 1980 – 29 July 2018) was a Norwegian cross-country skier. She won gold in the 4 × 5 km relay at Vancouver in 2010. Her best individual finish at the Winter Olympics was eighth in the 30 km event at Salt Lake City in 2002.

Skofterud won a complete set of 4 × 5 km relay medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships (gold: 2005, gold: 2011, silver: 2003, bronze: 2007) and earned her best individual finish of 13th in the 5 km + 5 km double pursuit in 2003.

Her first individual victory came in a pursuit race in Norway in 2006.

In 2012, Skofterud became the first Norwegian to win the Vasaloppet official ladies class. She set a new record time, 4.08,24, more than 8 minutes faster than the previous record from 1998. This was the first time ever she competed in a race as long as 90 km.

The 2012/2013 World Cup season proved to be difficult for Skofterud, due to illness and injuries, and she was forced to quit the season halfway through. She made a comeback on the national team the following winter. After failing to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Skofterud announced her retirement from the national team, in favour of a career in ski marathon.

She retired from cross-country skiing in 2015.