Røa IL is a Norwegian sports club from Røa in the borough of

Vestre Aker Vestre Aker (Western Aker) is a List of boroughs of Oslo, borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. It has a population of 50,157 as of 2020. The previous Aker Municipality was merged into the city of Oslo in 1948. The borough of Vestre Aker was org ...

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

. It was founded on 11 November 1900, and has sections for

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

gymnastics Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring Balance (ability), balance, Strength training, strength, Flexibility (anatomy), flexibility, agility, Motor coordination, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movem ...

bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two team sport, teams wearing Ice skates#Bandy skates, ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The playin ...

, and

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

. Football, bandy, and Nordic skiing have been dominant in Røa. In bandy, the team has twice made it to the finals in the Norwegian cup, losing both to arch-rivals Stabæk. In skiing, the two foremost names are Olav Hansson, world champion team large hill ski jumping in the 1982 World Ski Championships and Martin Johnsrud Sundby, a Norwegian national team cross-country skier who won the FIS Cross-Country World Cup and the Tour de Ski in 2013–14. The biggest success so far is probably the women's football team. While Røa was open for women participating in

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...

and

, football was frowned upon for quite some time. Women's football was started outside the club by Røa legend Ole Bjørn Edner and his daughter Kristine with friends. The team was finally recognized when they started winning the Norway Cup in 1993. The team started in the fourth tier in 1994, and spent two years in each tier before they qualified for the first tier,

Toppserien The Toppserien is the top level of women's association football in Norway. It was founded in 1984. History Women's league football was introduced on a county basis in 1977. These leagues acted as qualification for the regional (South) league in ...

, in 2000. As the bandy team were relegated the same season, the football team took over as the main success. In an attempt to brand the team, a former bandy player came up with the nickname "Dynamite Girls", which has stuck since. Røa's first season in Toppserien was a fierce battle to avoid relegation. In the last match the team saw it through. The next two seasons were a dramatic improvement, the team finished fourth (out of ten) both times. In 2004 Røa won both league and cup. After an abysmal 2005 season, they continued their dominance with a cup victory in 2006, a league victory in 2007, and a Double in 2008 and 2009. With in all eight trophies, Røa is the third most successful team in women's football in Norway (joint with Sprint-Jeløy if one counts the proto-national league from 1984.1986). The team has a host of current and former national team players. Among them are the 2007 World Cup players Siri Nordby (captain),

Guro Knutsen Mienna Guro Knutsen Mienna (born Guro Knutsen on 10 January 1985) is a Norwegian former Association football, footballer who played for Røa IL of the Toppserien league and for the Norway women's national football team. Biography Knutsen Mienna played ...

, Lene Mykjåland, Marie Knutsen and Marit Fiane Christensen. The men's football team currently plays in the Third Division (fourth tier).

List of seasons

Source:

First team squad

European history

Røa has participated in five seasons of UEFA competitions with their best result reaching the quarter-finals in 2009/10 losing in those to Turbine Potsdam, the eventual champion. UEFA Women's Cup *2005/06: First qualifying round *2008/09: Second qualifying round

UEFA Women's Champions League The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA. ...

*2009/10: Quarter-finals *2010/11: Round of 16 *2012/13: Round of 16

References

External links

Official site - women's football

Official site - men's football

Røa Kunstgress - Nordic Stadiums
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roa IL Football clubs in Oslo Bandy clubs in Norway Sport in Oslo Association football clubs established in 1900 Bandy clubs established in 1900 1900 establishments in Norway Women's football clubs in Norway