Sondre Lernes Hansen was on a climbing trip in the Alps when the message from news came. The announcement that he had not progressed in the fight to become one of ten who would compete for Norway’s toughest title. By this time, he had already begun to prepare specifically for television recording. When the weather was at its best, he filled his rucksack and set out. The phone was left at home, you are not allowed to listen to music during the competitions in Norway’s toughest. He bought a pole which he set up in the garage, practiced hanging for a long time, being in pain. He joined a fitness center, trained his core muscles and grip strength. He used the breaks at work to train. He cut out alcohol. All to no avail, he thought that day in the Alps. When you have to drag a tire behind you, preferably faster and longer than those you are competing against, it is good to be used to being in pain. But Sondre didn’t give up, that’s not his style. He sent an e-mail to news. If someone withdraws, I must be allowed to join. You are making a mistake by not taking me. What Sondre didn’t know was that there was no need to fuss. Another candidate had withdrawn, and thus Sondre – who had just missed out in the casting round before – was offered to join the next round. He proved himself worthy of the trust by eventually winning the whole thing. Sondre was not sure of victory until he pulled up the remains of the bullet. “But I’ve hit a hell of a lot with the sledgehammer.” When life is a competition Kyrksæterøra is located deep in the Hemnfjorden, roughly where Trøndelag changes to become Møre og Romsdal. The settlement is known for having raised cross-country skier Ove Aunli, footballers Erik Hoftun, Ardian Gashi and Pål André Helland, and now also Norway’s toughest winner Sondre Lernes Hansen. Unlike the first four, Sondre never specialized in one sport. He has been hiking, with and without skis, since he was very small. He has played football, climbed and practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has run downhill races and mountain marathons. – It’s probably easier to mention sports I haven’t been to. But primarily Sondre has competed. Not necessarily with a starting number on the chest, and not necessarily in sports. First man there. Who pulls up the rope the fastest? Who throws the tire the farthest? He can even boast a second place in the vocational NM in industrial mechanics. – I do a lot of practical work in my everyday life, and then it’s very convenient for me to compete. An independent practitioner Sondre is undoubtedly a practitioner. He immediately has three professional certificates – one as an industrial mechanic, one as an industrial plumber, and soon one in aquaculture. He started doing small jobs at the butchery in the family’s salmon farming company as early as nine years old. The plan was to start there full-time after high school. But the company was sold, and Sondre worked as a mechanic for a few years, before he found his way back to the aquaculture industry. Sondre spends a large part of the working day out in the boat, it is his responsibility that the cages work as they should. Sondre’s family has money, you get it for selling a salmon farming company. Something Sondre has heard on a regular basis. Is it your mother who bought you a car? But his parents have been concerned that he should fend for himself, and so has Sondre. Perhaps precisely because he has been accused of not doing so. He bought a house as a 19-year-old, renovated it, and built a garage. On their own. “When I live in such a rural area, I can go out naked and drunk, and piss. That has value” “Do you have to take a picture here? It’s so messy”. The husky Shiba is Sondre’s roommate and hiking companion. Bad losers, even worse winners Norway’s Toughest preparations consisted not only of physical training, but also of research. Sondre has seen all seasons of Norway’s toughest at least four times. He noted techniques the winners of various competitions used, so different ways the game could be played. Sondre is forever looking for details he can tinker with, little things that can be changed. Both at work and in life elsewhere. – You can always improve something, always become more cost-effective. Sondre doesn’t think anything they had to do in Norway’s toughest was scary. “But if someone comes pulling a snake … fuck off” In addition, he would like to be the underdog, he wants to surprise. – I told Joachim that my time in the 3,000 meters was 14-15 minutes, that I have no stride. His real 3000 meter time is about ten minutes. After performing, however, he is very unconcerned with talking himself down. He describes himself as a bad loser, and an even worse winner. – If you are not a bad loser, it only means that you are not used to winning. Brage about Sondre: “Cocky, charismatic and humorous” Eline about Sondre: “Winner’s skull, bad loser, good friend” Hanna about Sondre: “Hard-working winner’s skull with cheap humor” Fuel: Andre’s dissatisfaction Norway’s toughest is not just about being well trained, it’s about coping with being in pain. Being tired, hungry and cold. To keep walking even if the legs have stopped for a long time. Sondre learned a lot about being in pain when he was an OP hunter in the Norwegian Armed Forces. It was then that he understood how far he is actually capable of pushing himself. At his worst he thought he had a loaded gun to his temple and that it would go off if he stopped. He also used that trick in Norway’s toughest. The worst part was the stretcher carrying. Mile after mile along the train tracks. At one point, Sondre carried both the stretcher and the bags. “Of course it wasn’t shown on TV” – In such situations I think that the others have it worse than me, I feed on their dissatisfaction. There is no better petrol. For the record: The others can be teammates. How to fuckings win Norway’s toughest Those who have followed Norway’s toughest have seen something very reminiscent of a boys’ alliance. With a man from Kyrksæterøra at the head. Sondre understands that it can seem that way, but clarifies that it was never about gender, but about physical and mental capacity. – We wanted to bring the strongest forward. If Eline had been in the danger zone, I would have saved her. Sondre had worked his way up to the fact that he was going to end up in one of the bottom places anyway, and let Brage win the chair game. He wants to win, but not at any cost. He wants to win because he is the best, not because his strongest competitor was unlucky. And he turned out to be just that, the best. Eight individual victories during the entire competition, – More than the other participants combined. He has a full overview, the diary he had with him during the recording was used extensively. Sondre had the recipe ready in advance. New climbing friends > free haircut Sondre thinks it’s tough to watch the program on TV. Admittedly, he misses certain experiences on the screen – when three weeks have to be cut down to 12 times 45 minutes, most of it is left on the digital cutting room floor. – They didn’t even show that Brage and I kissed in the hot tub! But Dagbladet at least made a case for it. Sondre and Brage quickly found the tone: “We’re quite similar, he’s just a prettier version of me”. There has been some attention, the occasional call to the shop and some new followers on Instagram. Without him allowing himself to be displayed significantly. – I was offered a free haircut in return for posting a photo, but then I’d rather pay for the haircut. But when people with climbing-related profile pictures follow him, he is quick to follow back. The aim is to get as many potential climbing companions as possible. Otherwise, he doesn’t think Norway’s toughest victory will change that much, he is happy with life as it is. With working. And climb. And compete. And win. Now YOU can become Norway’s toughest, register for next year’s edition of the program here!
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The bad winner who won – Langlesing from news Trøndelag
