| Yelena Välbe | |
| Fullname: | Yelena Valeryevna Välbe |
| Birth Date: | 20 April 1968 |
| Birth Place: | Magadan, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia) |
| Height: | 164 cm[1] |
| Spouse: | Urmas Välbe (divorced in 2005) |
| Club: | CSKA Moscow |
| Seasons: | 11– (1987, 1989–1998) |
| Wins: | 45 |
| Totalpodiums: | 81 |
| Teamwins: | 24 |
| Teampodiums: | 32 |
| Individual Starts: | 117 |
| Team Starts: | 33 |
| Wcoveralls: | 5 – (1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997) |
| Wctitles: | 1 – (1 : 1997) |
| Show-Medals: | no |
Yelena Valeryevna Välbe (Russian: Елена Валерьевна Вяльбе, née Trubitsyna; born 20 April 1968) is a Russian former cross-country skier. She won a record 14 gold medals (5 in relays) at the FIS World Championships, including all five golds in the 1997 edition. She also won three Olympic gold medals (all in relays) and four bronze medals in various Winter Olympic Games as well as four World Cup Crystal Globes.
In 2004, she lost when she ran for president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation. Välbe was later elected President of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Association and has been in that position since 2010, and manager of the Russian National Cross-Country Team since 2012.
She was elected to the FIS Council in 2021. But after she supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a number of European Ski Federations objected to her participation in the 2022 election, and Välbe's nomination was publicly opposed by the representatives of Sweden, Poland, and Finland. As a result, she was removed from the FIS Council after garnering the fewest votes of 23 candidates.[2] In 2022, Välbe supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that: "we are not at war with Ukraine and no one attacked it."
At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Välbe won fourteen gold (1989: 10 km freestyle, 30 km; 1991: 10 km, 15 km, 4 × 5 km relay; 1993: 15 km, 4 × 5 km relay; 1995: 30 km, 4 × 5 km relay), and three silver medals (1989: 4 × 5 km relay, 1991: 30 km, 1995: 15 km), including all five golds at the 1997 championships in Trondheim (5 km, 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit, 15 km, 30 km, and 4 × 5 km relay).[3] She also won three gold (all in relays) and four bronze medals in various Winter Olympic Games as well as the FIS Cross-Country World Cup five times (1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997).[4]
In 2004, she lost when she ran for president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation.[1] In 2010, Välbe was elected as President of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Association.[5] In 2012, she got the position of manager for the Russian Cross-Country Team towards the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She was also manager for the Russian team during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.[6]
Välbe was elected to the FIS Council in 2021, but after she supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022,[7] a number of European Ski Federations objected to her participation in the 2022 election, and Välbe's nomination was publicly opposed by the representatives of Sweden, Poland, and Finland. As a result, she was removed from the position after garnering the fewest votes of all 23 candidates.[2] [8] [9]
Välbe was a member of the political council of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in the State Duma from the regional branch, and ran in the 2021 Russian legislative election on the United Russia party list.[10] She won in the United Russia primaries and was leader of United Russia's territorial group No. 29, which included the Vladimir and Ivanovo Oblasts. Having won the elections, she refused to be a deputy, and the Central Election Commission transferred her mandate to Aleksey Govyrin. She eventually withdrew her candidacy.[11]
In 2023, Välbe joined the PutinTeam, whose members supported Vladimir Putin's nomination for the 2024 Russian presidential election.[12]
In 2022, Välbe supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that "we are not at war with Ukraine and no one attacked it."[13] [14]
In January 2023, sports commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt of Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) said that he believes Välbe must now be fired from all sport-related offices going forward. He said: "It is completely reprehensible that a cross-country president makes such statements [supporting the invasion of Ukraine]. Now she is choosing a confrontational line that either shows her internal position is weakened, or she is confident that Russia will be brought back faster than many thought."[15]
In March 2023, Välbe said the following about European politics and the United States.[16]
In November 2023, she said she supported Putin's policies and Russia's war against Ukraine, and was proud that her younger brother had volunteered to fight in the war.[7] In December 2023, she said of Putin: "I love our president madly."[17]
Välbe is estranged from her father, Valery Ivanovich Trubitsyn.[18] [1] Her father is Ukrainian-born, and lives in Ukraine.[18] [7]
Explaining her character, she said that as a child, she and her mother Galina Grigorievna Synkova lived with her maternal grandparents.[1] Her maternal grandfather told her: "Don't wait to be hit, hit you in the face first."[1]
Formerly she was married to Estonian cross-country skier Urmas Välbe. Together they had one child the same year they married, Franz, with whom she spent a month and a half in Ukraine in 1988.[1] [10] They separated the year after they married, and divorced in 2005.[1] She later gave birth to Polina and Varvara, and since her divorce moved to and now lives in the Istra district in Moscow Oblast.[1]
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[19]
| Year | Age | 5 km | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | 4 × 5 km relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Gold | |||||
| 25 | 6 | |||||
| 29 | ||||||
| Year | Age | 5 km | 10 km classical | 10 km freestyle | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | 4 × 5 km relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 | Gold | — | Gold | Silver | |||
| 22 | — | Gold | Gold | — | Silver | Gold | ||
| 24 | 4 | Gold | 6 | 19 | Gold | |||
| 26 | 4 | Silver | 12 | Gold | Gold | |||
| 28 | Gold | Gold | Gold | Gold | Gold | |||
| Season | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Long Distance | Sprint | |||
| 18 | 23 | ||||
| 20 | |||||
| 21 | |||||
| 22 | |||||
| 23 | |||||
| 24 | |||||
| 25 | |||||
| 26 | |||||
| 27 | |||||
| 28 | |||||
| 29 | 12 | 5 | 18 |
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1988–89 | 10 December 1988 |  La Féclaz, France | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 2 | 14 December 1988 | Campra, Switzerland | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 3 | 17 December 1988 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 4 | 7 January 1989 | Kavgolovo, Soviet Union | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 5 | 19 February 1989 |  Lahti, Finland | 10 km Individual F | World Championships | 1st | ||
| 6 | 25 February 1989 | 30 km Individual F | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 7 | 11 March 1989 |  Falun, Sweden | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 8 | 1989–90 | 10 December 1989 |  Soldier Hollow, United States | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 9 | 18 February 1990 | Pontresina, Switzerland | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 10 | 20 February 1990 |  Val di Fiemme, Italy | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 11 | 2 March 1990 | Lahti, Finland | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 12 | 7 March 1990 | Sollefteå, Sweden | 30 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 13 | 1990–91 | 8 December 1990 |  Tauplitzalm, Austria | 10 km + 15 km Pursuit C/F | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 14 | 15 December 1990 | Davos, Switzerland | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 15 | 15 December 1990 | Les Saisies, France | 5 km + 10 km Pursuit C/F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 16 | 5 January 1991 | Minsk, Soviet Union | 30 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 17 | 8 February 1991 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 15 km Individual C | World Championships | 1st | ||
| 18 | 10 February 1991 | 10 km Individual F | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 19 | 16 February 1991 | 30 km Individual F | World Championships | 2nd | |||
| 20 | 2 March 1991 | Lahti, Finland | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 21 | 9 March 1991 | Falun, Sweden | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 22 | 16 March 1991 |  Oslo, Norway | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 23 | 1991–92 | 7 December 1991 |  Silver Star, Canada | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | |
| 24 | 8 December 1991 | 10 km Pursuit C | World Cup | 2nd | |||
| 25 | 14 December 1991 | Thunder Bay, Canada | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 26 | 4 January 1992 | Kavgolovo, Russia< | --Correct Russian flag for the period between 12 Aug. 1991 and 11 Dec. 1993, don't replace it!--> | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | |
| 27 | 9 February 1992 | Albertville, France | 15 km Individual C | Olympic Games | 3rd | ||
| 28 | 13 February 1992 | 5 km Individual C | Olympic Games | 3rd | |||
| 29 | 15 February 1992 | 10 km Pursuit F | Olympic Games | 3rd | |||
| 30 | 21 February 1992 | 10 km Pursuit F | Olympic Games | 3rd | |||
| 31 | 14 March 1992 | Vang, Norway | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 32 | 1992–93 | 12 December 1992 | Ramsau, Austria | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 33 | 18 December 1992 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 34 | 3 January 1993 | Kavgolovo, Russia< | --Correct Russian flag for the period between 12 Aug. 1991 and 11 Dec. 1993, don't replace it!--> | 30 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 35 | 9 January 1993 | Ulrichen, Switzerland | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 36 | 16 January 1993 | Cogne, Italy | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 37 | 19 February 1993 | Falun, Sweden | 15 km Individual C | World Championships | 1st | ||
| 38 | 10 March 1993 | Lillehammer, Norway | 10 km Pursuit F | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 39 | 19 March 1993 |  Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 40 | 1993–94 | 11 December 1993 | Santa Caterina, Italy | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | |
| 41 | 18 December 1993 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 42 | 21 December 1993 | Toblach, Italy | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 43 | 8 January 1994 |  Kavgolovo, Russia | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 44 | 12 March 1994 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 45 | 1994–95 | 27 November 1994 | Kiruna, Sweden | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | |
| 46 | 14 December 1994 | Tauplitzalm, Austria | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 47 | 17 December 1994 | Sappada, Italy | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 48 | 20 December 1994 | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | |||
| 49 | 7 January 1995 | Östersund, Sweden | 30 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 50 | 14 January 1995 |  Nové Město, Czech Republic | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 51 | 4 February 1995 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 52 | 5 February 1995 | 10 km Pursuit F | World Cup | 1st | |||
| 53 | 10 March 1995 | Thunder Bay, Canada | 5 km Individual C | World Championships | 2nd | ||
| 54 | 18 March 1995 | 30 km Individual F | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 55 | 25 March 1995 |  Sapporo, Japan | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 56 | 1995–96 | 25 November 1995 | Vuokatti, Finland | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 57 | 29 November 1995 | Gällivare, Sweden | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 58 | 9 December 1995 | Davos, Switzerland | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 59 | 10 December 1995 | 10 km Pursuit C | World Cup | 2nd | |||
| 60 | 13 December 1995 | Brusson, Italy | 10 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 61 | 9 January 1996 | Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia | 30 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 62 | 13 January 1996 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 63 | 2 February 1996 | Seefeld, Austria | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 64 | 4 February 1996 | Reit im Winkl, Germany | 1.0 km Sprint F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 65 | 25 February 1996 | Trondheim, Norway | 10 km Pursuit F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 66 | 10 March 1996 | Falun, Sweden | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 67 | 1996–97 | 23 November 1996 | Kiruna, Sweden | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | |
| 68 | 7 December 1996 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 69 | 14 December 1996 | Brusson, Italy | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 70 | 5 January 1997 | Kavgolovo, Russia | 15 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 71 | 11 January 1997 | Hakuba, Japan | 5 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd | ||
| 72 | 12 January 1997 | 10 km Pursuit F | World Cup | 3rd | |||
| 73 | 18 January 1997 | Lahti, Finland | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 74 | 21 February 1997 | Trondheim, Norway | 15 km Individual F | World Championships | 1st | ||
| 75 | 23 February 1997 | 5 km Individual C | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 76 | 24 February 1997 | 10 km Pursuit F | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 77 | 1 March 1997 | 30 km Individual C | World Championships | 1st | |||
| 78 | 8 March 1997 | Falun, Sweden | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 1st | ||
| 79 | 11 March 1997 | 1.0 km Sprint F | World Cup | 2nd | |||
| 80 | 15 March 1997 | Oslo, Norway | 30 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd | ||
| 81 | 1997–98 | 20 December 1997 | Davos, Switzerland | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 1st |
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | Teammate(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1986–87 | 1 March 1987 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Ordina / Lazutina / Reztsova |
| 2 | 1988–89 | 23 February 1989 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 2nd | Shamshurina / Smetanina / Tikhonova |
| 3 | 12 March 1989 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 2nd | Lazutina / Smetanina / Tikhonova | |
| 4 | 1989–90 | 11 March 1990 | Örnsköldsvik, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Yegorova / Lazutina / Tikhonova |
| 5 | 1990–91 | 15 February 1991 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 1st | Yegorova / Smetanina / Tikhonova |
| 6 | 10 March 1991 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Nageykina / Yegorova / Tikhonova | |
| 7 | 15 March 1991 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Nageykina / Smetanina/ Tikhonova | |
| 8 | 1991–92 | 18 February 1992 | Albertville, France | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | Olympic Games | 1st | Smetanina/ Lazutina / Yegorova |
| 9 | 8 March 1992 | Funäsdalen, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 2nd | Lazutina / Nageykina/ Yegorova | |
| 10 | 1992–93 | 26 February 1993 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 1st | Lazutina / Gavrylyuk / Yegorova |
| 11 | 1993–94 | 22 February 1994 | Lillehammer, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | Olympic Games | 1st | Lazutina / Gavrylyuk / Yegorova |
| 12 | 4 March 1994 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 2nd | Nageykina / Lazutina / Gavrylyuk | |
| 13 | 13 March 1994 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Nageykina / Gavrylyuk / Lazutina | |
| 14 | 1994–95 | 15 January 1995 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Danilova /Gavrylyuk /Lazutina |
| 15 | 29 January 1995 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Zavyalova / Gavrylyuk / Lazutina | |
| 16 | 7 February 1995 | Hamar, Norway | 4 × 3 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Danilova / Gavrylyuk /Lazutina | |
| 17 | 12 February 1995 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Danilova / Lazutina / Gavrylyuk | |
| 18 | 17 March 1995 | Thunder Bay, Canada | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 1st | Danilova / Lazutina /Gavrylyuk | |
| 19 | 26 March 1995 | Sapporo, Japan | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Gavrylyuk / Lazutina / Martynova | |
| 20 | 1995–96 | 17 December 1995 | Santa Caterina, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Lazutina / Gavrylyuk /Yegorova |
| 21 | 14 January 1996 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Nageykina / Lazutina / Gavrylyuk | |
| 22 | 2 February 1996 | Seefeld, Austria | 6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F | World Cup | 3rd | Zavyalova | |
| 23 | 10 March 1996 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Gavrylyuk / Lazutina / Yegorova | |
| 24 | 1996–97 | 24 November 1996 | Kiruna, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 1st | Gavrylyuk/Lazutina/ Yegorova |
| 25 | 8 December 1996 | Davos, Switzerland | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 2nd | Gavrylyuk / Lazutina / Yegorova | |
| 26 | 15 December 1996 | Brusson, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Gavrylyuk / Danilova / Yegorova | |
| 27 | 19 January 1997 | Lahti, Finland | 8 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F | World Cup | 2nd | Gavrylyuk | |
| 28 | 28 February 1997 | Trondheim, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 1st | Danilova/ Lazutina / Gavrylyuk | |
| 29 | 9 March 1997 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Danilova /Lazutina / Gavrylyuk | |
| 30 | 16 March 1997 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Danilova /Gavrylyuk / Nageykina | |
| 31 | 1997–98 | 7 December 1997 | Santa Caterina, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Chepalova / Lazutina/ Danilova |
| 32 | 14 December 1997 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 1st | Nageykina / Lazutina / Danilova | |