Berit MÖRDRE

Berit Mørdre was a dominant figure in women’s cross-country skiing from 1965-74. In that period she won 13 national titles, six at 5 km and seven over 10 km. She skied the anchor leg for the victorious Norwegian relay team at the 1968 Olympic Winter Games. In 1969 Mørdre married, and competed as Berit Mørdre-Lammedal the rest of her skiing career, through 1978. In 1976 – the first year women were allowed to start in the Birkebeiner – Mørdre-Lammedal won the women’s class eight minutes ahead of her closest opponent.

Berit Mørdre was born and raised on a farm in the municipality of Nes north-east of Oslo, but lived in Oslo since 1965, working as a police officer in the Norwegian capital until her retirement. She was awarded the Holmenkollen medal in 1971. She was a fighter, never giving up, and won several relay-medals for Norway thanks to her fighting spirit on the anchor leg.