By Teemu Virtanen
The ex-BN Bank Pro Skier, now representing Team Kaffebryggeriet, Øystein Pettersen won the Individual Prologue race in Livigno, Italy, and finished second at Ylläs-Levi, the last race of the season. Now, this energetic and talkative “court jester of the kingdom of Visma Ski Classics” has become a TV star, or is about to be one, this winter.
He just finished a five-week shoot for a TV series called 71° Nord where 10 people travel from south to north in Norway living in tents and facing adversities, adventures and exceptional experiences on their long journey. The series will be aired on a Norwegian TV network this winter.
Besides devoting his time to TV stardom, this colorful personality is not ready to hang his coat and retire from skiing even if his goals are not as ambitious as they have been in the past.
“I will try to prepare as well as possible for Marcialonga, but my main priority is to work with other people and companies,” Øystein says enthusiastically. “I love skiing and will always be a skier, but it is no longer my main focus. Hopefully, I will still be able to enjoy skiing, even if my performance level is now lower. And I will always smile, always!”
He didn’t know about his former teammate Morten Eide Pedersen’s entry to the “coffee team” until he got back home as it had happened while he was on the TV shoot in the wilderness somewhere in Norway.
“Morten joining our team is great news and good for the team and Vetle Thyli. I think that Kaffebryggeriet is a runner-up to challenge the bigger and stronger teams now. I will try to contribute as much as I can with my experience and confidence and make them ready for the winter.”
