Suzann Pettersen won the "Female Athlete Of The Year" prize at NRK's Idretssgalla 2010 (Sports Gala 2010) ceremony in Lillehammer on Saturday. She beat the other nominees biathlon competitor Tora Berger, snowboarder Helene Olafsen, swimmer Ingvil Snildal and cross country skier Kristin Størmer Steira after a year when she won The Canadian Open and scored two runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour as well as maintaining her world ranking of third.

As Suzann was not able to be at the ceremony in Norway due to her training programme in the US, her prize was accepted on her behalf by long time manager Jan Ove Nystuen.

Suzann was working out during the awards ceremony, in a signal of her tenacious commitment to fitness and practice, but tweeted afterwards "Great news. Female athlete of the year, yeahh. congrats to all the other winners too, . Big honor to win this prize, thank you all!!"

It is the second time Suzann has won the award, after being recognised with the same prize in 2008.

More information (in Norwegian) on the website of Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.