Idrettslaget Runar is a Norway sports club from Haukerød in Sandefjord. It has sections for athletics, handball, football, and cross-country skiing. It was established on January 7, 1949.[Gjerseth, Simen (2016). Nye Sandefjord. Liv forlag. Page 114. .]
Athletics
Its athletics section is known for its prominent long-distance runners. Olympic competitors Gunhild Halle Haugen and
Marius Bakken represented IL Runar, and so did
Susanne Wigene for a limited period. Local rivals in both handball and athletics are
Sandefjord TIF.
Handball
The men's handball team currently plays in the first league of Norwegian handball, and was relegated from the first league in 2006–07 season, but they soon returned to the first league again. Runar won the highest league in the seasons 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1999–00.
[ Norwegian league winners ] They also won the Limburgse Handbal Dagen in 1998, where they defeated Sporting Toulouse 31 with 29–28 in the final.
[ The finals of the Limburgse Handbal Dagen]
Football
The men's football team currently plays in the 4. divisjon, the fifth tier of the Norwegian football league system. They have never played in the top tier, but had its last stint in the 1. divisjon (second tier) in 1997, with players like
Morten Fevang who later became a significant player in the
Eliteserien and captain of
Odd Grenland. In late 1998, Runar formed the elite football team Sandefjord Fotball with local rivals
Sandefjord BK, in an attempt to take Sandefjord back to the top level of football in Norway.
[ History (Sandefjord Fotball official site) ] The plan succeeded, as Sandefjord Fotball, as of the 2019 season, have been playing in the top flight in 7 out of the last 14 seasons.
Recent men's football seasons
>|
! Season
!
! Pos.
! Pl.
! W
! D
! L
! GS
! GA
! P
!Cup
!Notes
!Ref. |
| 2013 | 3. divisjon | 10 | 14 | 32 | Second qualifying round | | |
| 2014 | 3. divisjon | 13 | 16 | 22 | Second qualifying round | | |
| 2015 | 4. divisjon | 9 | 10 | 24 | First round | | |
| 2016 | 4. divisjon | 7 | 11 | 25 | | | |
| 2017 | 4. divisjon | 4 | 5 | 31 | dnq | | |
| 2018 | 4. divisjon | 5 | 8 | 26 | First qualifying round | | |
External links
