Otteson lands nordic combined head coaching slot

By Published On: April 2nd, 2006Comments Off on Otteson lands nordic combined head coaching slot

Otteson lands nordic combined head coaching slot{mosimage}Former Olympic medalist and world distance record-holder Lasse Ottesen has been named nordic combined head coach for the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said.

Ottesen, a three-time Olympic ski jumper for Norway who turns 32 in another week (April 8), succeeds Bard Elden, who retired after four years as head coach He was named jumping coach for the American combiners after the 2004 season; he previously served two seasons as jumping coach with the Norwegian nordic combined squad.

‘Lasse is a natural choice to succeed Bard. He’s been with the program at the top levels, and has the skills needed to lead the team. The athletes know and respect him’ Bodensteiner said, ‘and he’s in a great position to build on the work done by Bard and the rest of the team over the past several years, which resulted in World Cup podium finishes and a World Championship title in 2003.”

Dave Jarrett remains as World Cup coach and Bodensteiner said he hopes to name a World Cup-B coach in the near future.

Born in Aurskog, north of Oslo, he was ski jumping by age 5. He spent 11 years on the World Cup and produced nine top-three results. In 1994, Ottesen was silver medalist in the Olympic normal hill (then-K90) competition in Lillehammer, Norway. In 1997, he set the then-world record distance of 212 meters in Planica, Slovenia, and he retired after the 2001 season.

Ottesen and his wife, Lena, have two children, Emilie, 5, and Markus, 3. They live outside Oslo.

– USSA

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