Janne STEFANSSON

Janne Stefansson took part in two Winter Olympics and just missed the podium in three events by just a few seconds, placing fourth each time. The first Olympics were quite a disappointment because his time on the second leg of the relay was almost three minutes slower than his three teammates, costing Sweden a medal. In his final Olympic appearance at Innsbruck in 1964 he finally won a gold medal with the Swedish relay team, running the third leg to bring Sweden from fourth to third at the last exchange. In 1962 he had one of his major individual achievements by winning the silver medal at the World Championships in Zakopane in the 30 km event. His very first international competition was at the 1958 World Championships in Lahti, where he placed 11th over 30 km. In 1966, he competed in his last World Championship race when he was 18th in the 15 km in Oslo. He is also famous for winning the Vasaloppet seven times in the eight years between 1962 and 1969. That makes him one of the most successful athletes in the Vasa ski marathon, surpassed only by Nils Karlsson’s nine victories. In 1962 he entered the main street in Mora together with Sixten Jernberg, but passed him and won by eight seconds. Stefansson also won the Skinnarloppet twice, 10 years apart (1959/1969). At home, he won only one Swedish Championship, in the 1965 50 km. Stefansson worked in forestry and lived in his native Transtrand throughout his life.