Vilde Ekren

Vilde Sangolt Ekren first gained recognition in the Norwegian poker scene through the Kommunepoker series. In 2022, as a 23-year-old lærerstudent (teacher student) living in Sogndal, she won the Sogndal kommunemester title, earning a direct seat to the Norgesfinalen in Tallinn. She described herself as "Sogndals heldigste" after topping a field of 22 players.

Ekren has two notable live tournament victories. In 2024, she won the €200 Ladies First! event at the Malta Poker Festival, defeating Irina Barauske heads-up for a top prize of €2,866. The event had 84 runners creating a €14,515 prize pool. The following year, during the poker-NM (Norwegian Championship) week in Bratislava, she won the €150 Daily Late Night Supreme, earning €3,631. That event saw all top five places go to Norwegian players.

Ekren has consistently performed well in the Norwegian poker championship events. In January 2026, she advanced to Day 2 in both the Heads Up and Fixed Limit events of the Poker North Masters Online, sitting third on the chip count in the Fixed Limit tournament with 259,875 chips. These events determine the online Norwegian champion and offer seats to the live poker-NM in Bratislava.

While detailed analysis of her playing style is limited, Ekren's results demonstrate a balanced approach. She has shown skill in both large-field tournaments and heads-up situations, as evidenced by her heads-up win in Malta. Her ability to win flips and all-ins was noted in her Kommunepoker victory. She is described as an avid player who started playing because of her father's interest.

Ekren is in a relationship with fellow Norwegian poker professional Sander Østlyngen. The couple has been noted for their success in the same tournament series, often winning separate events during the poker-NM week. Ekren has stated they have never practiced heads-up against each other, though they joked about a potential matchup in the Heads Up event. She balances poker with her studies to become a teacher.