Geir Karlstad

Geir Karlstad (born 7 July 1963 in Skedsmo, Akershus, Norway) is a former speed skater.

hort biography

Although best at the longest distances (the 5,000 m and the 10,000 m), Geir Karlstad became Junior World Allround Champion in 1982 and, as a senior, won bronze in both the World and European Allround Championships in 1989. Among the dominating speed skaters in the 1980s, Karlstad failed at the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics. However, he got his "revenge" at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, winning the gold medal on the 5,000 m and the bronze on the 10,000 m, while skating for Lillestrøm SK.

A severe back injury forced him to end his career before the 1994 Winter Olympics of Lillehammer held in his homeland. He had originally intended to end his career at those Winter Olympics. From 1998 to 2002, he was the national team coach of the Norwegian speed skating team. Karlstad received the Oscar Mathisen Award in 1986.

Medals

An overview of medals won by Karlstad at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:

Note that Karlstad's personal record on the 3,000 m was not a world record because Leo Visser skated 3:59.27 at the same tournament.

Karlstad has an Adelskalender score of 159.596 points. His highest ranking on the Adelskalender was a seventh place.

References

* [http://www.skateresults.com/skater/show/479 Geir Karlstad at SkateResults.com]
* [http://www.skatebase.com Personal records from "The Skatebase"]