Eskil Ervik

Ervik won bronze at the World Allround Championships in Hamar in 1999 and silver at the European Allround Championships in 2000 and 2006, again in Hamar. As of January 2007, he has won the Norwegian allround championships seven times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), and has also won a string of Norwegian single distance championships titles.

Under American coach Peter Mueller, Ervik enjoyed a new spring as a speed skater – on 15 October 2005, he set a new world outdoor record on the 3000 meters, finishing at 3:44.90 in Inzell, and on 5 November 2005, he set the world record (indoor or outdoor) on that distance in Calgary with a time of 3:37.28.[1] Eight days later in Calgary, he broke the world record on the 5000 meters, finishing in 6:12.19, on that occasion also being the first skater ever to do the 5000 meters with all lap times below 30 seconds. This was a short-lived world record, though, since Chad Hedrick skated faster in the next race.

Ervik's highest ranking on the all-time best-ever Adelskalender list was a 4th place, a position he held briefly on 4 December 2005, when he became the second skater ever to race a 10,000-m below 13 minutes (but 12.52 seconds later Enrico Fabris overtook his 4th rank position). Ervik was for several years the best Norwegian on the Adelskalender, until Håvard Bøkko passed him in March 2007. At the time of his retirement from speedskating, Ervik held the 8th position at the Adelskalender.

In "Top Gear Winter Olympics Special" Jeremy Clarkson raced with Jaguar XK8 against Ervik in a 1500m (three lap) race around a speed-skating track. Due to the car's traction and handling being reduced to virtually zero while on the ice, Ervik managed to finish the race with a two lap lead.

Ervik currently works as head of the marketing department at the Storhamar Dragons front office.

• Eskil Ervik at SpeedSkatingStats.com
• Eskil Ervik announces his retirement
• Photos of Eskil Ervik
• Poem and sculpture inspired by Ervik
• Exit Ervik