OSLO (AP) — Norwegian skiing great Aksel Lund Svindal has joined the coaching staff of the national team.
Svindal, the last Norwegian to win Olympic gold in Alpine skiing back in 2018, said he accepted a part-time position following a proposition from current members of the team.
“When athletes and coaches came to me this summer with a concrete challenge and a suggestion for how I could contribute, I thought it sounded very exciting,” said the 43-year-old Svindal, who retired from competing in 2019 because of persistent knee injuries.
Svindal, who underwent surgery in 2022 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, was part of Lindsey Vonn’s coaching team ahead of this year’s Winter Olympics.
He was a superstar at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, winning gold in the super-G, silver in the downhill and bronze in the giant slalom. He also won gold in downhill in Pyeongchang eight years later, was a five-time gold medalist at world championships, and earned the overall World Cup title twice — in 2007 and 2009.
Norway won just two medals — a silver and a bronze — in Alpine skiing in the Milan-Cortina Olympics this year. It had four medals in the 2022 Games but no golds.
“We have a strong group of athletes and coaches who are constantly working to develop further,” said Claus Ryste, sports director for Norway’s Alpine skiing team.
“Aksel knows elite sports from both sides and knows what it takes to succeed at the very highest level. We believe he can add valuable perspectives in the work of taking new steps.”
Svindal is already with the team at a pre-camp ahead of the start of World Cup racing in Sölden, the Norwegian team said, and “will further contribute in selected periods throughout the season.”
A star who isn't in camp is Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who ruptured his Achilles tendon during a fall in preseason downhill training in Chile last week.
“This is a program I believe in,” Svindal said, “and I feel I can contribute in several areas, even though I am not with the team every single week.”
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FILE - United States' Lindsey Vonn listens to Aksel Lund Svindal ahead of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Friday Dec. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti, File)
FILE - Former alpine skier Aksel Lund Svindal, from Norway, explains the course to children ahead of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Kvitfjell, Norway, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti, File)
BUTTERFIELD BERMUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Southampton, Bermuda.
Course: Port Royal GC. Yardage: 6,828. Par: 71.
Prize money: $6 million. Winner's share: $1,080,000.
Television: Thursday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Adam Schenk.
FedEx Cup champion: Scottie Scheffler.
Last tournament: Michael Brennan won the Baycurrent Classic in Japan.
Notes: The PGA Tour enters its final five-week stretch of the FedEx Cup Fall that determines the top 100 who keep full cards for 2027. Among those outside the top 100 are Tony Finau and Lucas Glover. Only Glover is in the Bermuda field this week. ... Corey Conners is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 61 in the world. He is No. 63 in the FedEx Cup, trying to get into the top 60 for two signature events in early 2027. ... The field features a pair of amateur teens, Miles Russell and 2025 U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell. ... Eric Cole is making his 27th start of the season at Bermuda. ... Ben James is in Bermuda. He has been runner-up and tied for fifth in his two FedEx Cup Fall starts. James is at No. 62 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. ... Ben Kohles skipped the Korn Ferry Tour Championship at No. 19 in points to play the PGA Tour event in Japan and moved up to No. 80. He is in the field at Port Royal.
Next week: VidantaWorld Mexico Open.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Gwangju, South Korea.
Course: Pine Beach GL. Yardage: 6,784. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.35 million. Winner's share: $352,500.
Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Sei Young Kim.
Last week: Ruoning Yin won the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Notes: This is the second of four tournaments in Asia before the LPGA returns to Florida to wrap up the season. ... Ruoning Yin became the third player this season to surpass $3 million in official money, joining Nelly Korda ($6.2 million) and Haeran Ryu ($4.5 million). ... Yin is the seventh multiple winner this season, one year after it took until October to have a multiple winner. She is not in the field this week. ... Carlota Ciganda and Yealimi Noh each received two-shot penalties during the third round in Shanghai for violating the pace-of-play policy. ... Yin and Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand are the only players to have won on home soil this season outside the United States. ... The field includes Minsol Kim, who leads the Korea LPGA in official money and rookie points. ... The 84-player field has 17 Americans. Lauren Coughlin and Auston Kim are the only ones among the top 20 in the women's world ranking.
Next week: Maybank Championship.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
GENESIS CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Cheonan, South Korea.
Course: Woo Jeong Hills CC. Yardage: 7,367. Par: 71.
Prize money: $4 million. Winner's share: $666,667.
Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel mobile); Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Friday, 11:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel mobile); Saturday, 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. (Golf Channel mobile); Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay).
Defending champion: Junghwan Lee.
Race to Dubai leader: Eugenio Chacarra.
Last week: Eugenio Chacarra won the DP World India Championship.
Notes: Eugenio Chacarra, coming off his victory in India, leads the Race to Dubai by 618 points over Patrick Reed and by 944 points over Rory McIlroy. Chacarra is playing the Genesis Championship, while Reed and McIlroy are taking off this week. ... Two tournaments remain after this week to decide the Race to Dubai. ... Si Woo Kim at No. 14 is the highest-ranked player in the field. He is joined by two others from the top 50 in the world ranking, British Open champion Ryan Fox and Chacarra. ... Tom McKibbin of LIV Golf is in the field. He is No. 83 in the Race to Dubai. ... The tournament dates to 2017 and has been part of the European tour schedule since. No one outside South Korea has won it. ... Joe Dean is holding down the 10th spot for a PGA Tour card in the Race to Dubai. ... McIlroy has finished out of the top 40 in two of the three European tour events he has played since September.
Next tournament: Abu Dhabi Championship on Nov. 5-8.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
STIFEL CHARITY CLASSIC
Site: St. Louis.
Course: Norwood Hills CC. Yardage: 6,992. Par: 71.
Prize money: $2.3 million. Winner's share: $350,000.
Television: Friday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. (Golf Channel mobile), 4-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Thomas Bjorn.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink.
Last week: Vijay Singh won the SAS Championship.
Notes: This starts the three-tournament postseason for the Charles Schwab Cup. The leading 72 players are eligible for the Stifel Charity Classic. The top 54 advance to the next week, and the top 36 reach the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. ... Stewart Cink leads the Schwab Cup, followed by Zach Johnson and Steven Alker. They have combined for 15 victories this year. ... Matthew Goggin of Australia was the only player to move into the top 72 last week. Heath Slocum was the only player to move out. ... Vijay Singh won last week at age 63. Bernhard Langer holds the PGA Tour Champions record as the oldest winner at 67. He won five other times at age 64 or older. ... Norwood Country Club hosted the 1948 PGA Championship won by Ben Hogan. ... Padraig Harrington is at No. 4 in the Schwab Cup despite playing only 12 tournaments, the fewest of any player from the top 40.
Next week: Simmons Bank Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Te Arai Links, Tomarata, New Zealand. Television: Defending champion: Fifa Laopakdee. Online: https://www.aacgolf.com/
Asian Tour: Link Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong GC, Hong Kong. Friday-Saturday, 12:30-4:30 a.m. (Golf Channel mobile). Defending champion: Tom McKibbin. Online: https://asiantour.com/
Japan Golf Tour: Fortinet Players Cup, Narita Hills CC, Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Taihei Sato. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/
Ladies European Tour: Hero Women's Indian Open, DLF Golf and CC, New Delhi. Defending champion: Shannon Tan. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/
Sunshine Tour: Stella Artois Players Championship, Glendower GC, Edenvale, South Africa. Defending champion: J.C. Ritchie. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
PGA Tour of Australasia: Players Series South Australia, Willunga GC, Willunga, Australia. Defending champion: Matias Sanchez. Online: https://golf.com.au/
Japan LPGA: Nobuta Group Masters, Masters GC, Hyogo, Japan. Defending champion: Shuri Sakuma. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
See AP’s full golf coverage here
FILE - Ben Kohles reacts after his shot from the second tee during the final round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, July 26, 2026, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim, File)
