Through the Vår Energi sponsorship agreement, young ski talents like Halvor Hilde Gunleiksrud can go all in on their alpine skiing career. 

Halvor Hilde Gunleiksrud, a 23-year-old alpine skier from Bærum, is a member of the World Cup team. Fresh off his recent success in the European Cup Slalom event, Gunleiksrud has established himself as one of Norway’s most promising ski talents. 

“Winning the European Cup overall in the slalom discipline last season was a definite highlight of my career so far,” he says. 

The sponsorship from Vår Energi plays an integral role in his development as a top athlete. “The funding I receive from Vår Energi helps make it possible for me to be a full-time alpine skier. This is what I want for my career, and the sponsorship is an invaluable part of this,” says Gunleiksrud.  

The perfect match

Vår Energi is sponsoring the men’s, women’s and para teams for three years, which will contribute to the athletes’ development when they compete as the Attacking Vikings at the global elite level. The sponsorship also extends to the World Cup events in Kvitfjell and the Norwegian Alpine Ski Championships for the next three years. The agreement came about as the result of a broad-based strategy process and is part of Vår Energi’s new sponsorship concept; Energising Next Steps.  

 “We want to energise local and national talents who are making change and better results happen. We want to contribute to both vibrant local communities and world-class results,” says Marie Louise Falch, who works on sponsorships in Vår Energi.  

She emphasises that the values of the national alpine ski teams and Vår Energi are a perfect match, particularly when it comes to teamwork and diversity. “The value of creating an atmosphere at work where colleagues are performing at their peak in their roles, whether as supporting players or at the very top, and where everyone is a team player in order to achieve shared goals. This value is strong both in Vår Energi and in the national alpine ski team. moreover, we want to generate more national visibility and pride for the employees in the connection to one of Norway’s coolest national teams,” she says. 

The sponsorship is also well-aligned with Vår Energi’s strategy for corporate social responsibility and sustainability. “The Norwegian Ski Federation Alpine invests equally among all parts of the team, and women, men and para-athletes receive the same follow up and have equal access to resources and support systems. This is a good fit with Vår Energi’s diversity values. Vår Energi employs people from more than 30 countries, which is a strength for the company. Different voices make for more ideas and better solutions,” says Falch. 

A long-term supporter

The sponsorship from Vår Energy enables Gunleiksrud to plan and build a long-lasting career within alpine sports. “The Vår Energi sponsorship gives me a long-term supporter which provides stability and certainty. This allows me to fully focus on training and performing my very best,” he says. 

Claus Johan Ryste, managing director of alpine skiing in the Norwegian Ski Federation, is looking forward to cooperating with Vår Energi. “We’ve only just started our cooperation. We both want to create a good culture and environment for development. It’s about team spirit and cooperation to achieve unique results. I’m truly looking forward to further developing this driving force along with Vår Energi,” he says. 

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