Camilla Gjersem is retiring - goodbye Norwegian skating twins

[SmallFairy]

As @Sylvia posted in the Skandinavian skaters news thread yesterday, Camilla is retiring, one season after her sister.

Best wishes to Norway's Camilla Gjersem who has tweeted/posted on her IG that she is retiring from competition: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxZiDhpoKD2/
A machine translated excerpt:
"It feels like I'm letting go of my first great love. A 17 year long and dedicated relationship. It hurts. Figure skating has at times defined me and undoubtedly helped shape me.
I achieved some of the goals I set, but not all. Nevertheless, I choose to look at the venture as successful."

With both twins now retired, and era ended for Norwegian figure skating - that's the words our Federation used.

As Camilla herself stated, figure skating was her first love (the machine translation is very accurate). And she showed it, she always skated with such joy and personality! I especially loved her latino-program in the orange-pink dress. Camilla also always had beautiful lines, great spins and developed her jumping a lot through her career, despite struggling with several injuries. She never gave up. Her dresses was beautiful, her program concepts always engaging, and her split jump, wow! She really took Norwegian skating to a new level. Together with Anne-Line she created interest in sport in my country again. No one had cared for decades. With the twins the sport got two fresh representatives skating on a high level, and media started paying attention, TV started broadcasting and the skating kids got someone to look up too. Camilla has been choreographing and coaching besides skating herself, and she really is such a great role model for everyone around, in her club and at camps.

As an adult skater, I've been so lucky to have had Camilla coaching my group, both on ice, but especially off ice at camps, and this whole year once a week. It's been so much fun! Camilla is totally professional, with tons of great exercises, and she is the sweetest girl, constantly smiling, always cheerful. She's just as serious with us adults as with high level skaters and understands our needs. And thanks Camilla for being so open, chatting with us about everything - juggling school, injuries, everyday life. I'm glad you'll still be involved in coaching!
I've been even more lucky, as Camilla choreographed my program last season. Camilla, I will forever treasure my Ravel, it was great fun doing it with you!

I'm so glad Camilla got to go out on a high note, with PB's and two great skates at last years Universiade (with Anne Line as coach ) Now I guess she'll be focusing on her studies, she's going to law school, but I know she'll be involved in coaching and development in her club Asker.


Thank you SO much Camilla! It has been a total pleasure! Best of luck in everything
xoxo

 

[SmallFairy]

Very touching message from Berit Steigedal, who's been coaching Camilla for so long:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxarRQiHKYH/

Translation:
My dear beautiful, nice, lovely Camilla. A picture of you from one of my highligths as your coach. But I have so many more as a friend. We will continue together as friends. My time as a coach for you is over. Thank you for so many nice practices and competitions. Love you.

Camilla replies:
Thank you Berit. Thank you for everything you taught med, and for always being there for me. I will miss everyday practices with you! But I consider you family, so of course we'll create new good memories together in the future. Love you a lot!




Official message from the Norwegian Skating Federation, also very touching.
https://nsf.klubb.nif.no/Kunstlop/Sider/Hjem.aspx

Translation:
An era has come to an end for Norwegian figure skating

Camilla Gjersem has announced that she is ending her competitive figure skating career. We wish to thank Camilla for all her good achievments, and for her hard work, even when injuries sidelined her and she couldn't compete.

Camilla has dedicated almost her entire life to figure skating. Together with Anne Line she raised the level of Norwegian figure skating and when she was older, she soon became a role model for many young skaters.

It can't be denied that the two sisters also have been rivals during the years, but all the time we have seen and known that the competition between them was necassary for them both to reach as far as they did. Today an era has come to an end for Norwegian figure skating.

Camilla ended her career with an impressing 11th place finish at Universiade, where she showed what she was capeable of, and also her love for the sport. She participated in three European Championships, and was national champion five times.

Camilla is a very including person, she is involved, and has spread her love of practicing to everyone around her. It spreads like circles in the water. We are sure her disipline during practices now will give results outside the ice, when her focus is on studies and further career.

Dear Camilla - Thank you for all your achievments during many year, for the joy and the strenght you have showed us, and for the incredible role model you have been, and is, for the figure skaters of the future.



(Sorry for any spelling mistakes, my work computer won't correct them)

 

[Sylvia]

Thank you very much, @SmallFairy, for sharing your personal experiences with Camilla, translations and for starting this thread. Here's the link to your thread for Anne Line Gjersem's retirement announcement last year: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/anne-line-gjersem-retiring.104015/

ETA:

Here's a 2014 Sochi Olympics article about Anne Line after the SP with a bit about Camilla as well:
https://www.thelocal.no/20140220/olympics-norways-gjersem-follows-in-henie-footsteps

She [Anne Line] became the first Norwegian figure skater to compete at the Olympic Winter Games in 50 years after qualifying at the Nebelhorn Trophy in September 2013.
Born to a Norwegian father and a Philippines mother... Her twin sister Camilla Marie Gjersem is also a competitive figure skater, but watched from home.
The twins started skating in 2002, and four years later, where taken into the Sonja Henie project to prepare them for future Olympics.
...
"She's (her twin) at home in Norway in the studio watching. I face-timed (on the phone) with her before my programme.
"She's always says positive things to me and she's my biggest supporter."

 

[eurodance2001]

Thank you very much, @SmallFairy, for sharing your personal experiences with Camilla, translations and for starting this thread. Here's the link to your thread for Anne Line Gjersem's retirement announcement last year: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/anne-line-gjersem-retiring.104015/

ETA:

Here's a 2014 Sochi Olympics article about Anne Line after the SP with a bit about Camilla as well:
https://www.thelocal.no/20140220/olympics-norways-gjersem-follows-in-henie-footsteps

I still remember seeing how even though she was the first one in 50 years to qualify a skater to the Olympics out right, the NOC didn't want to send her. I'm glad they relented and nominated her to be able to actually use the spot.