Helene Hokholt Olafsen (born 21 February 1990) is a Norwegian television presenter and former snowboarder.

Helene Olafsen
Personal information
Full nameHelene Hokholt Olafsen
Born (1990-02-21) 21 February 1990 (age 34)
Oslo, Norway
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in) (2014)[1]
Sport
Country Norway
SportSnowboard cross
Medal record
Women's snowboarding
Representing  Norway
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Gangwon Snowboard Cross
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Arosa Snowboard Cross
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Stoneham Snowboard Cross
Winter X Games
Silver medal – second place 2009 Aspen Snowboard Cross
Silver medal – second place 2010 Aspen Snowboard Cross
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Aspen Snowboard Cross
Helene Olafsen (leading), Alexandra Jekova, Tanja Frieden, Nelly Moenne Loccoz. Telluride, 19 December 2009, Quarter Final

She placed tenth overall in the 2007-08 Snowboarding World Cup, and fifth in her special event boardercross, where she collected 3570 of her total 4160 points. She took her first victory in a World Cup event in March 2007, and finished fifth at the 2007 Winter X Games. She announced her retirement from snowboarding in 2016.[2]

Television appearances

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In 2017, Olafsen finished as runner-up against Anders Jacobsen in the eighth season of Mesternes Mester, an NRK series in which former competitive Norwegian athletes compete in various exercises with the aim of being crowned the "Master of Masters".[3] Later that year, she won the 13th season of Skal vi danse, the Norwegian version of Dancing with the Stars, alongside professional dancer Jørgen Nilsen. The pair defeated actor Cengiz Al and Mai Mentzoni in the final.[4] In 2021, she participated on Norges nye megahit, a series where celebrities compete against each other to create a hit song. Olafsen sang "Ludvig Daae", named after a real man who owned a slalom centre and had "strong opinions about behavior on the slalom slope".[5] The song reached number one in Norway in December 2021.[6] Ahead of the 2022 Skal vi danse: All Stars season, Olafsen was announced as the new presenter, joining Anders Hoff who had held the position since the 13th season.[7]

2010 Olympics

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Olafsen progressed all the way to the big final of Snowboard Cross at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, she finished fourth. Canada's Maëlle Ricker went on to win the gold medal for the host country.[8]

Personal life

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Olafsen has been in a relationship with Skal vi danse professional dancer and former winning dance partner Jørgen Nilsen since 2017. The couple announced their engagement in 2019.[9] They have two children.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Norway Olympic Team and Media Guide Sochi 2014. Norway: Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports. 2014. p. 96.
  2. ^ AS, TV 2 (24 August 2016). "Snowboard-utøver Helene Olafsen legger opp". TV 2 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Vinneren av "Mesternes mester": – Jeg blødde på leggene etterpå". www.vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 18 March 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  4. ^ AS, TV 2 (18 November 2017). "Helene Olafsen (27) er vinneren av Skal vi Danse: - Jeg klarer ikke å forstå det!". TV 2 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Eliassen, Heather Ørbeck (22 November 2021). "Låten om ildsjelden har blitt en megahit" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  6. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021-48". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. ^ AS, TV 2 (9 August 2022). "Helene Olafsen blir programleder for "Skal vi danse: all stars"". TV 2 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Ladies' Snowboard Cross – Final results". Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  9. ^ Monsen, Rikke (1 November 2019). "Helene Olafsen forlovet: Hyller kjæresten Jørgen Nilsen med én setning". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Slik løser de tidsklemma". dagbladet.no (in Norwegian). 14 August 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
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