Yelena Välbe

Yelena Välbe

Välbe in a 2004 TV interview.
Personal information
Native name	Елена Валерьевна Вяльбе
Birth name	Yelena Trubitsyna
Nationality	Russian
Born	April 20, 1968 Magadan, Russian SFSR
Sport
Country	Russia
Sport	Women's cross-country skiing
Medal record Women's cross-country skiing Olympic Games Competitor for  Unified Team 1992 Albertville 4 x 5 km 1992 Albertville 5 km 1992 Albertville 15 km 1992 Albertville 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1992 Albertville 30 km Competitor for  Russia 1994 Lillehammer 4 x 5 km 1998 Nagano 4 x 5 km World Championships Competitor for  Soviet Union 1989 Lahti 10 km freestyle 1989 Lahti 30 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 10 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 15 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 4 x 5 km 1989 Lahti 4 x 5 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 30 km Competitor for  Russia 1993 Falun 15 km 1993 Falun 4 x 5 km 1995 Thunder Bay 30 km 1995 Thunder Bay 4 x 5 km 1997 Trondheim 5 km 1997 Trondheim 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1997 Trondheim 15 km 1997 Trondheim 30 km 1997 Trondheim 4 x 5 km 1995 Thunder Bay 15 km

Yelena Valerjevna Välbe, née Trubitsyna (Russian: Елена Валерьевна Вяльбе (Трубицына), Estonian: Jelena Välbe, born 20 April 1968 in Magadan, Russian SFSR) is a Russian former cross-country skier. She has been president of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Association since 2010, and manager of the Russian cross-country team since 2012.

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Välbe won a record-high fourteen gold (1989: 10 km freestyle, 30 km; 1991: 10 km, 15 km, 4x5 km; 1993: 15 km, 4x5 km; 1995: 30 km, 4x5 km relay), and three silver medals (1989: 4x5 km, 1991: 30 km, 1995: 15 km), including all five golds at the 1997 championships in Trondheim (5 km, 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit, 15 km, 30 km, and 4x5 km).^[1] She also won three gold (all in relays) and four bronze medals in various Winter Olympic Games as well as the FIS Cross-Country World Cup five times (1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997)^[2] (she also finished second in 1990, 1993, 1996, and third in 1994). Välbe also won the 5 km (1991) and 15 km (1992) competitions at the Holmenkollen ski festival. She received the Holmenkollen medal in 1992.

Together with Bjørn Dæhlie of Norway, she holds second place for the number of podiums (81) in FIS Cross-Country World Cup events, behind Marit Bjørgen (105). She is placed third for the number of wins (45), behind Marit Bjørgen (75) and Bjørn Dæhlie (46).

In 2010, Välbe was elected as President of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Association.^[3] - FIS 29 June 2010 article accessed 30 June 2010. Late in 2012 she got the position of manager for the Russian cross-country team towards the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She was also manager for the Russian team during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.^[4]

Formerly she was married to Estonian cross-country skier Urmas Välbe.

References

1. "VM i Trondheim i 1997" (in Norwegian). Ski-VM 2011 AS. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
2. Mattias Karen (February 27, 2015). "La revanche des Norvégiennes" [Norwegian Revenge]. Le Devoir (in French). Associated Press. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
3. "Presidential elections in Norway, Russia". Retrieved February 24, 2013
4. Eirik Borud, Ole Kristian Strøm (December 6, 2012). "Denne kvinnen er Russlands nye landslagssjef" [This woman is Russia's new coach]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved February 24, 2013.

External links

• Elena Vaelbe Trubitsina. at the International Ski Federation
• Holmenkollen medalists - click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file (Norwegian)
• Holmenkollen winners since 1892 - click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file (Norwegian)