He won the World Championships gold in the somewhat unusual distance of 10km classic in Val di Fiemme in 1991. He also won Olympic and World Championships golds in the relay and was on the national team for 11 years. However, after his career, it became a life in the waxing cabin for the now 59-year-old from Trøndelag.

Terje Langli experienced the day when everything fell into place during this World Championships day in Val di Fiemme, the same venue that will host the Olympics in 2026. He fought off the Swedes Christer Majbäck and Torgny Mogren to claim his long-awaited gold. The tough guy from Henning, outside Steinkjer, was a super talent with a strong will to win. He joined the senior national team already as a junior and remained on the team until he retired 11 years later.

In addition to the World Championships gold in the 10km, he also won Olympic and World Championships relay golds, an Olympic bronze in the 30km, and became the Norwegian champion in the 50km in 1989, accumulating a total of 8 Norwegian Championship medals.

Continued in the Skiing Community

Terje Langli has never left the skiing life. He has traveled around in waxing cabins, held waxing courses, and lived a life among the best cross-country skiers all these years.

“Of course, the World Championships gold is the biggest achievement. I already felt during the 30km in Val di Fiemme that I could increase my pace without getting tired,” says Terje Langli, who finished fourth in the first World Championship distance in Italy that year.

The following year, he won the Olympic relay gold in Albertville, a wild Norwegian celebration in the trails around Les Saisies with a triple in the 30km with Vegard Ulvang, Bjørn Dæhlie, and Terje Langli.

Afterward, all three were “signed” by the Swedish Procordia group with powerful PG Gyllenhammar and Sören Gyll at the forefront. It attracted great attention in Norway when the Swedish company went in and sponsored the Norwegian Olympic heroes.

“Even though the World Championships gold trumps most things, the life we lived was the best. It was like a dream life, and that’s where I might have the best memories from,” says Langli to Langrenn.com.

Today, it is not as easy to live such a life, according to the former World Champion.

“Today, athletes are 24-hour performers who cannot be as social as we were back then. It’s a bit more extreme on all levels now.”

When he broke through, Terje Langli competed against skiers like Per Knut Åland, Oddvar Brå, and Lars Erik Eriksen. Then came the golden generation where Norway took over the hegemony from Sweden with Dæhlie, Ulvang, Langli, Jevne, and Sivertsen, among others.

Terje Langli participated in five World Championships from and was selected for three Olympics.

“I was a reserve on home soil in Lillehammer in 1994. It was a bit bitter not to race there.”

After his career, he continued in the sports industry. He married his national team colleague Inger Lise Hegge, and the couple still lives in the same house outside Steinkjer.

“I have held many waxing courses, and I have worked for several national teams,” says the 59-year-old, who has also been the Norwegian waxing chief. Last winter, he worked with Ola Vigen Hattestad in Slovenia’s national team. It will likely continue next winter.

“I also worked for three years with the Chinese national team in connection with the Beijing Olympics. But that ended abruptly when they suddenly stopped their investment. Here, I worked with Bernhard Rønning, Ole-Marius Bach, Estonian Vahur Teppan, and former Olympic winner Nikita Kriukov from Russia.”

The Stupidest Thing Introduced!

Terje has kept up with developments in the waxing field, which is not easy. He believes that one must be present where things are happening to acquire the knowledge. However, he does not welcome one innovation.

“No, the fluor ban has only made everything worse. It has much greater impacts, and it has not become easier. It is the stupidest thing introduced. And as long as a small amount of fluor is allowed, I am sure that some will try to use it. It’s not easy to measure either.”

Now, the waxing has almost made him more famous than the World Championships gold back in 1991. Because when the hair is gone and the years have passed, he is not recognized like Dæhlie and Ulvang, two guys who often appear on TV and in the media.

“But sometimes, some people recognize me, especially those who have been to waxing courses and connect it that way.”

NAME: Terje Bjarte Langli 
BORN: 1965 
LIVES: Henning (Steinkjer municipality) 
OCCUPATION: Ski and ski waxing (service), sports retail, direct sales nutrition
FAMILY: Inger Lise Hegge (wife), Marion Hegge Langli (daughter), Ane Hegge Langli (daughter)
CLUB AS ACTIVE: Henning IL 
RETIRED: 1996 
MY BEST MEMORY FROM MY CAREER: World Championships gold 1991 
WHAT I MISS FROM MY ACTIVE CAREER: The freedom to do what I loved most  HOW I FOLLOW THE SPORT TODAY: By working with various teams and national teams until today 
MY HOBBIES TODAY: Hikes in the forest and mountains 

Terje Langli’s Achievements

• World Champion in the 10 kilometers in 1991
• Olympic bronze in the 30 kilometers in 1992
• Olympic Champion in the relay in 1992
• World Champion in 1991 and 1993 and World Championship bronze in 1987
• Olympic participant also in 1988, reserve in 1994
• Won 15 kilometers in Lahti Games 1985 and 30 kilometers in Swedish Ski Games 1990
• Norwegian Champion in 50 kilometers in 1989, Norwegian Championship silver in 30 km in 1989 and 50 km in 1988, as well as in the relay in 1987, 1990, and 1995
• Norwegian Championship bronze in 10 km in 1994 and 30 km in 1992

• Two World Cup victories: 30 km classic in Örnsköldsvik 1990 and 10 km classic in Val di Fiemme 1991 (World Championship gold).

• Awarded Steinkjer municipality’s cultural prize in 1991.

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