Yelena Välbe

Yelena Välbe

Välbe in a 2004 TV interview.
Personal information
Native name	Елена Валерьевна Вяльбе
Birth name	Yelena Trubitsyna
Full name	Yelena Valerjevna Välbe
Nationality	Russian
Born	(1968-04-20) April 20, 1968 (age 48) Magadan, Russian SFSR
Sport
Country	Russia
Sport	Women's cross-country skiing
Medal record Women's cross-country skiing Olympic Games Representing  Unified Team 1992 Albertville 4 x 5 km 1992 Albertville 5 km 1992 Albertville 15 km 1992 Albertville 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1992 Albertville 30 km Representing  Russia 1994 Lillehammer 4 x 5 km 1998 Nagano 4 x 5 km World Championships Representing  Soviet Union 1989 Lahti 10 km freestyle 1989 Lahti 30 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 10 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 15 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 4 x 5 km 1989 Lahti 4 x 5 km 1991 Val di Fiemme 30 km Representing  Russia 1993 Falun 15 km 1993 Falun 4 x 5 km 1995 Thunder Bay 30 km 1995 Thunder Bay 4 x 5 km 1997 Trondheim 5 km 1997 Trondheim 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1997 Trondheim 15 km 1997 Trondheim 30 km 1997 Trondheim 4 x 5 km 1995 Thunder Bay 15 km

Yelena Valerjevna Välbe, née Trubitsyna (Russian: Елена Валерьевна Вяльбе (Трубицына), Estonian: Jelena Välbe, born 20 April 1968 in Magadan, Russian SFSR) is a Russian former cross-country skier. She has been president of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Association since 2010, and manager of the Russian cross-country team since 2012.

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Välbe won a record-high fourteen gold (1989: 10 km freestyle, 30 km; 1991: 10 km, 15 km, 4x5 km; 1993: 15 km, 4x5 km; 1995: 30 km, 4x5 km relay), and three silver medals (1989: 4x5 km, 1991: 30 km, 1995: 15 km), including all five golds at the 1997 championships in Trondheim (5 km, 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit, 15 km, 30 km, and 4x5 km). She also won three gold (all in relays) and four bronze medals in various Winter Olympic Games as well as the FIS Cross-Country World Cup five times (1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997) (she also finished second in 1990, 1993, 1996, and third in 1994). Välbe also won the 5 km (1991) and 15 km (1992) competitions at the Holmenkollen ski festival. She received the Holmenkollen medal in 1992.

Together with Bjørn Dæhlie of Norway, she holds second place for the number of podiums (81) in FIS Cross-Country World Cup events, behind Marit Bjørgen (105). She is placed third for the number of wins (45), behind Marit Bjørgen (75) and Bjørn Dæhlie (46).