Norway’s Next Generation – Cedrik Bakke Christophersen
Cedrik Christophersen is a 19-year-old triathlete from Tonsberg, Norway. He has been training with the Norwegian national team for the past four years and has raced on the European Junior circuit on several occasions. Additionally, he has also competed for Norway in the Junior World Championships in Lausanne and the Gold Coast whilst also competing at the European Championships in Tartu and Weert. We caught up with him to discuss the Norwegian team, his future plans and the role of social media in the life of an athlete.
Tomos Land – How did you get started in Triathlon?
Cedrik Christophersen – I have always been an active person. I have always spent time outside with my friends. When I was 13 years old, one of my best friends was a runner and the other was a cyclist, so I was running a little and also cycling. I loved both of them, and when I was 15 years old, I competed in a triathlon for the first time in Tonsberg. I thought I was going to be pretty good, but I was beaten by so many people, including a lot of the girls and it was so embarrassing, so from that day I decided I would have to go for it if I wanted to be good. Since that day I have put everything into being a good triathlete.
TL – So why choose triathlon?
CC – After that first competition I had to decide whether I wanted to give it a go and decide if I wanted to try and become good at something I wasn’t too good at to start. My father had competed in the Norseman, and I thought that also looked cool, but the main reason to go for it was really because of how bad I had been on that first go.
TL – What is it like being in the Norwegian national set up? When did you start there?
CC – I went on a training camp for the first time in 2017, then in 2018 I competed for the first time in the Youth Olympic Games qualification race in Banyoles. In the beginning, training with the team was tough, but the older guys on the team are very kind and helpful which helped. I moved to Bergen when I was 17 years old to train at the national team base, which meant I had to do my last year of high school over the internet. However, it was worth it because it has made such a difference to train with everyone on the team every day for the past year and a half.
TL – How beneficial is it to train with successful athletes like Casper, Kristian and Gustav every day?
CC – Because they are all so down to earth, and really want to help the younger guys learn, it is easy to ask them for advice, which is very helpful. It is important to learn how to do the right things, because Gustav is always telling us that ‘Winning is a choice’, you just have to make the right choices all the time. It is helpful to see that they are also normal humans, who have bad days themselves in training sometimes. I am very lucky to be a part of that team.
TL – What gives the Norwegian athletes such confidence?
CC – Before, everyone would just say that the Norwegian athletes were cocky. But Kristian has just won the Olympics, and has shown that what we are doing, the testing in the labs and our training, is working, and it is this that makes us so confident. Kristian, Casper and Gustav have all achieved a lot, and it helps us to know that with this training we can be as good as them.
TL – I know you are currently recovering from an injury at the moment, but what are your short term and long-term goals?
CC – This year my main goal was to do well at the U23 World Championships, but I have had to miss all the races this year with an injury. Next year I want to race in a WTCS and do well at the U23 World Championships. I want to get points so I can make it to the start lists for the bigger races. In the future I hope to race at the Olympic Games in LA in 2028 – I know that it will be hard, but once I get back into training again, I will improve a lot, and it will be possible.
TL – You have recently started your own YouTube channel; how important do you think social media is for athletes?
CC – I think it is very important, as you see the guys who are into social media, who can use it well and brand themselves, are the ones who get the best sponsorship details. It is a good way to show your personality, as that is something that is hard to do when you are mid-race. I started YouTube after a good response to my takeover on Kristian’s account, and because I have always enjoyed making and editing videos, it comes easily to me which is very lucky.
TL – Back to triathlon, looking ahead to Paris and LA, what do you think are the chances of the Norwegian team in the MTR?
CC – I believe that, especially in LA, we have a very good chance of doing well. We have a lot of good up and coming girls as well as Lotte (Miller), so by that time, when the other girls have had more experience racing I believe that we will do very well.
TL – You’ve spoken about LA and the future, what is it that inspires you to train so hard with that goal in mind?
CC – Training with the guys (Kristian, Gustav and Casper) has given me the confidence to think that with time and training, I can be as good as them. I don’t think it is impossible to be as good as them, I just need to do the work for a number of years, like they have been doing, to get to where they are.
Quick Questions
TL – Which sportsperson outside of triathlon inspires you?
CC – It’s hard not to say the Ingebrigtsen brothers, I like Filip because he is a little more down to earth, but it’s hard not to say Jakob, with how good he is.
TL – If you had to pick one person as your favorite training partner, who would it be?
CC – I would have to say Sebastian, who I have lived with for the past two years, and who I have trained with since I started triathlon. We would not be where we are now without each other.
TL – What is your favorite film?
CC – The newest Lance Armstrong documentary.
TL – Last question, what is your favorite session to do?
CC – It is definitely a run, when I am in good shape. Running 20k – 25k when you’re running fast, but it feels easy. This is my favorite session. This is the best thing in the world.
To keep updated on Cedrik’s training and racing, check out his Instagram account @_cedrik_ and make sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel HERE
