9 April 2025
The record-breaking, world-beating journey of Team Hoestmaelingen
A Rising Star in Norwegian Curling
Lukas Hoestmaelingen is just 21 years old and has already achieved more than many curlers could ever dream of.
The Norwegian – who is a World Junior, Youth Olympic Games and FISU World University Games champion – is showing the form of a generational talent, as he starts to make the transition into the men’s ranks.
A National Breakthrough
The latest milestone came at the Norwegian Men’s Curling Championship, where he and his young team of Grunde Buraas, Magnus Lilleboe and Tinius Haslev Nordbye, claimed their first title – holding off the renowned rinks skipped by Magnus Ramsfjell and Steffen Walstad.
In 2020, playing vice-skip to Buraas at the age of 16, the team finished third behind Ramsfjell and the late, great, Thomas Ulsrud. After finishing third again in 2022 with Hoestmaelingen at the helm, they made the final in 2023, losing to Ramsfjell.
After a drop to fourth in 2024, Hoestmaelingen and his team were undeniable this year, performing like players 10 years their senior.
“It’s been really cool to develop, win more advanced competition and break the barriers,” said Hoestmaelingen.
“I think just getting a result to show that you’re doing the right things feels really nice.
“We have shown multiple times that we are good enough, but we couldn’t quite get it out there.”
A decent first of two final stones in the last end of the final for the youngster was followed by an inaccurate shot from Ramsfjell, leaving the door open.
“As long as I hit the right side of the stones, I knew I was alright,” he said.
“I’m quite confident with my peels, so when I realised I didn’t have to do the angle raise and [instead] do something I personally consider as a very simple shot, and maybe the one I’m most confident with, then I knew I had it before I had thrown it.
“And yeah, it went quite well.”
A Curling Family Connection
For the 21-year-old, playing Ramsfjell’s team was like that of a family. His older brother Elias played alternate for the team in the 2017 season when they won bronze at the World Junior Curling Championships and due to that, the teams have strong friendships between them, with Bendik Ramsfjell, Magnus’ cousin, being a particularly close friend of Lukas.
What is special about Team Hoestmaelingen is their experience together as a team, with the skip saying he has played with them for ten years and they are “very compatible”. The team has mostly stayed in one piece throughout the junior years.
At the World Junior Curling Championships 2022, all four were in the rink – albeit Hoestmaelingen was the alternate for a period due to illness, eventually replacing Sander Moen. The following year, the squad was the same, with Moen as the alternate and Hoestmaelingen replacing Buraas as skip, while throwing third. On both occasions, they were finished fourth.
Third Time’s the Charm
“In 2023, we had a good weekend as well and had a fantastic semi-final but we couldn’t keep the performance up the entire game, so we unfortunately missed out on the final spot, even though we were really close, so we knew we had the level to at least get a medal,” said Hoestmaelingen.
Buraas would age out before the World Junior Curling Championships 2024, with Eskil Eriksen becoming part of the four-person rink instead. On the third time of asking, Norway won the gold medal in dramatic fashion.
Facing Stefano Gilli’s Italy, the teams were close throughout, before Italy equalised in the final end. After blanking the 11th, Norway got the decisive point in the second extra end, with the score finishing 7-6.
Achieving Gold on the World Stage
“It was my first championship throwing last, so it was really good to finally get that medal after being let down two years in a row,” said Hoestmaelingen.
“Then to get the biggest medal of them all; yeah, it was almost relieving and it felt really nice.
“There’s obviously more pressure and more responsibility [throwing last].
“You’re throwing some of the same shots, but it means something completely else if you miss being third, and when you’re throwing the last shot.
“At the same time, we win and lose as a team, so therefore, if you miss as fourth or third, it’s still the same situation.”
A Historic Moment for Norwegian Curling
Alongside the Norwegian Curling Championship victory, he considers the world junior title his greatest achievement. It was history in Norway, as they became the first men’s champions from the country and the first to make a final since Pal Trulsen’s rink in 1983.
Despite their national victory, Norway’s selection system for the World Men’s Curling Championship was based off world ranking points, meaning Team Ramsfjell represented the nation at the BKT World Men’s Curling Championship, that factors into Olympic qualification.
Despite defeating their older peers, Hoestmaelingen admits their opponents are the “best fit team to put Norway through to the Olympics” and praised them for having a “fantastic season”.
A Bigger Picture for Norwegian Curling
That short-term selflessness also factors into future planning too. As Ramsfjell successfully qualified Norway for the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, it now opens the door for a second team to play at the World Championship, per the selection criteria of the country.
“Obviously, we have opposition in Norway that we need to beat as well,” said Hoestmaelingen, particularly noting Walstad’s rink as a threat alongside Ramsfjell.
“It’s not very often we have three teams that are doing well and we also have up-and-coming junior teams who I’m sure will be at the same spot in the near future as well.”
One More Junior Chapter to Write
The next challenge for Team Hoestmaelingen is defending their title at the World Junior Curling Championships 2025. With one final year of eligibility together, the squad returns with an unchanged line-up from last year’s gold-medal win. Eriksen rejoins the team in place of the now ineligible Buraas, as they set their sights on back-to-back world titles.
A Bright Future for Norwegian Curling
And for Norwegian curling, 2025 looks like the beginning of a new era. While Hoestmaelingen won their first title, it was the second Norwegian women’s national gold for two-time world junior bronze medallist Torild Bjoernstad and her rink, consolidating their claim to being the country’s top team. Despite this, they also did not represent Norway at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2025 due to point rankings.
With both skips just 21 years of age and tasting success internationally, there is plenty to be excited about in Norway. And with Team Hoestmaelingen’s partnership already spanning a prosperous decade, it is plausible that the bond could continue for another ten years.
Perhaps with a few world medals to their name.
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