Åge and Jorunn Mathisen inducted into Partille World Cup Hall of Fame

Åge and Jorunn Mathisen from Norway were elected during the evening's Leaders Party into the Partille World Cup Hall of Fame.

Both have done a fantastic job both for their club Fjellhammar IL and for Partille World Cup.

 Åge and Jorunn Mathisen started their Partille World Cup journey back in the 1970s.

They have both been active in the Norwegian association Fjellhammer IL, which has been a frequent visitor to the tournament since the tournament's second year, in 1971. In addition to the role of leader, Åge has also been a referee at the tournament for many years. Jorunn debuted for the women's team in Fjellhammar IL at just 16 years old in 1961 and played for the A team for a full 20 years. After that, she had several different roles in the association in her heart. For Åge and Jorunn, Partille World Cup was the start of the summer and the whole family was at the tournament.

– Åge and Jorunn have been faithful to the tournament as far as they have been able and have meant a lot to the event. Both Åge and Jorunn and the club they represented, Fjellhammer IL, have become like a family over the years and there are not many who played handball in the Norwegian association who missed out on a Partille World Cup experience over the years, says Fredrik Andersson, general secretary of Partille World Cup.



In 1999, the couple received the Sports Honor Award in Lørenskog municipality and both are honorary members of Fjellhammer IL. Unfortunately, Jorunn passed away in 2016 and as Åge could not be physically present this evening, he participated instead through a video greeting. Their children Marianne and Jørn were present to accept the award on their behalf.
– Mother and father have always been involved in the Partille World Cup. My older brother Jørn was there in a stroller in 1971. He was born in December 1970. I have been with since September 1976. Jørn and I have had a few years with toddlers when we were not there, but now our children play here. Mom and dad were there for all the years – until they couldn't be there anymore. Partille World Cup has been the most important thing every summer for all of us in the Mathisen family. We have played and been coaches, leaders, supporters and so on. And dad was a referee until he couldn't run properly anymore. For mom and dad, it was important that as many teams and participants as possible from Fjellhammer IL and Norway were there, says Marianne Mathisen proudly.

She continues:
– Partille World Cup is the best memories we have of our summers. Our summer holidays started with Partille World Cup and mum and dad watched as many matches with teams from Fjellhammer IL as they could. Dad refereed as many games as he could. Mum and dad have been good ambassadors for Partille World Cup all these years and Partille World Cup is the best handball event around. We are incredibly grateful and touched by the award mom and dad received tonight. It means so much to us. Dad can't be here and mom died in 2016, but dad gets moved to tears every time we talk about Partille World Cup and everything about the tournament.

Partille World Cup would like to thank Åge and Jorunn Mathisen for their invaluable work both for Fjellhammer IL and for the tournament. Partille World Cup would not have been the same without you!