Frode Andresen

Background

Andresen was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on September 9, 1973. Because of his parents' careers, he spent periods in Cape Town, South Africa; Laos and Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya, before his family settled in Norway when he was four. He learned cross-country skiing at five and began biathlon at twelve.

His international sporting career developed within Norway's strong Nordic skiing tradition, which combines endurance-based cross-country technique with biathlon's rifle-shooting disciplines. He began competing in 1985 and later represented Norwegian clubs and national teams in both sports.

Education

Andresen earned a degree in economics. His academic training accompanied a sporting career conducted during the professionalization and expansion of modern biathlon, when international competition increasingly combined specialized ski preparation, shooting technique, sports science, and commercial World Cup circuits.

Career

Andresen competed internationally in biathlon from the mid-1980s and made his World Cup debut during the 1992–1993 season. He became known for exceptional skiing speed and won 15 individual World Cup races, including three victories at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival: sprint wins in 2000 and 2001 and a pursuit victory in 2001. He recorded 47 individual World Cup podium finishes and finished third overall in the 2000–2001 World Cup season.

At the Olympic Winter Games, Andresen won silver in the sprint at Nagano in 1998, gold in the men's relay at Salt Lake City in 2002, and bronze in the 10-kilometre sprint at Turin in 2006. His three Olympic medals gave him a complete set across three Games. He also won nine World Championship medals, including gold in the team competition in 1995 and gold in the sprint at Oslo in 2000, along with silver and bronze relay medals and individual bronze medals.

Andresen's shooting percentage was less consistent than his skiing speed. During the 2003–2004 season, his recorded accuracy was 72 percent in prone shooting and 67 percent standing. He won the Golden Cup on January 22, 2006, for the highest points total across the three World Cup events held after Christmas. His final World Cup biathlon competition was the sprint at Hochfilzen on December 15, 2011, and his final IBU Cup biathlon competition was the sprint at Beitostølen on December 1, 2012.

He also competed in FIS cross-country skiing, including the 50-kilometre freestyle at Holmenkollen, where he was the best Norwegian finisher in eighth place in 2008. He won the Norwegian national championship in the 50-kilometre freestyle in 2009 and had earlier won the 20-kilometre freestyle at the 1999 Norwegian championships in Lillehammer. His combined success in biathlon and cross-country skiing led to the award of the Egebergs Ærespris in 2009.

Achievements

• Andresen won three Olympic biathlon medals: sprint silver in 1998, relay gold in 2002, and sprint bronze in 2006.

• He won nine World Championship biathlon medals, including team gold in 1995 and sprint gold in 2000.

• He won 15 individual biathlon World Cup races and recorded 47 individual World Cup podium finishes.

• He won the 50-kilometre freestyle at the 2009 Norwegian national cross-country skiing championships.

• He won the Golden Cup on January 22, 2006, awarded to the biathlete with the highest points total across the three post-Christmas World Cup events.

Personality

Physical Characteristics: Andresen is listed at approximately 191 centimetres tall and 75–76 kilograms.

Interests

• Andresen follows the stock market and is an avid cyclist. He placed 26th in the 2002 Norwegian national road-cycling championships. He also skateboarded as a child and cracked several teeth in accidents.

• Sport & Clubs

  Cross-country skiing and biathlon.

Connections

Andresen lives with fellow Norwegian biathlete Gunn Margit Andreassen. They have three sons, David, Elias, and Nicolai; David was born around Christmas 2004.

Partner:

Gunn Margit Andreassen

Norwegian biathlete who lives with Andresen and is the mother of their three sons.

Son:

David Andresen

Born around Christmas 2004.

Son:

Elias Andresen

Son:

Nicolai Andresen

References

• Frode Andresen — Store norske leksikon Biographical reference covering Andresen's Olympic and World Championship medals, World Cup victories, Norwegian championship results, and 2009 Egebergs Ærespris.
  2024
• Frode Andresen — Olympedia Olympic profile documenting Andresen's birth details, Norwegian affiliation, three Olympic medals, and participation in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Winter Games.
• Frode Andresen — International Biathlon Union profile Athlete profile documenting his birth date and birthplace, early sporting development, economics education, biathlon victories, family information, hobbies, and competition record.
• Frode Andresen — FIS athlete biography Cross-country skiing profile and results record covering Andresen's national and international competitions through the 2010s.