Nordstrand IF


Nordstrand Idrettsforening is a sports club in Nordstrand, Oslo, Norway. The club has sections for alpine skiing, association football and handball. It formerly had sections for orienteering, track and field and Nordic skiing. The club colors are white and blue.

General history

It was founded in 1919 as a merge between Skiklubben Freidig and Sportsklubben Grane. The club counts 1891 as its founding year.
In 2009 it incorporated neighboring club Ljan IF.

Handball

In handball the club has won the National championships several times, both the men's and women's team. Notable players are Heidi Sundal, Susann Goksør Bjerkrheim and Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk. In orienteering the club won the relay at the National championship for men in 1947, and for women in 1974.
The women's team currently plays in the First Division, and the men's team plays in Postenligaen as the cooperation team BSK/NIF which is fielded together with neighbors Bækkelagets SK.

Football

Grane was a founding member of the Football Association of Norway, and also became the first Norwegian Football Cup champion in 1902.
The men's football team plays in the Fourth Division, the fifth tier of Norwegian football. It last played in the Third Division in 2012.

Skiing

Freidig and Grane were both skiing clubs. Freidig had the ski jumping hill Lerskallen, which was later taken over by Grane and then Nordstrand. The clubs had several able skiers. The highest ranked competitor at the Holmenkollen ski festival was Herman Huitfeldt, who placed seventh in the Nordic combined in 1895. Walter Aigeltinger finished third in the B class in 1902, and also played on Grane's football team. Th. B. Dürendahl and Wilhelm Wettergren competed successfully in Central Europe in the early 1900s.
The club's best known member is alpine skier Kjetil André Aamodt.

Athletics and orienteering

Athletics was added to the club's roster in 1921. Rolf Johannson became Norwegian champion in the 1500 metres in 1930, and also took a silver medal in 1929 and bronze medal in 1933. In 1929 he also took a bronze medal in the 800 metres. In the throwing events, Halfdan Johnsen took silver medals in shot put with both hands in 1925 and 1926, whereas Joel Arnesen won a bronze medal in the triple jump in 1929.
In orienteering the club won the relay at the National Championship for men in 1947, and for women in 1974.