Cross-country skiing : Astrid Oeyre Slind burns off her race number
The men’s Janteloppet went off without a hitch, with Havaard Moseby taking victory on Saturday morning. However, the women’s race did not take place. The women’s cross-country skiers learned on Friday that the prize money had been significantly reduced.
Competition director Pöl Tröan Aune explained that the reason for the price change was that with ten days to go before the start of the elite category, there were only 14 women entered and around 70 men. Then on Saturday morning, the organisers decided to cancel the women’s race.
“The organisers, together with the owner and the jury, decided that it wasn’t viable for an entirely private enterprise. The 14 participants were therefore offered the choice of recovering their entry fees or running the 20km race”, he explains to SVT.
These decisions have angered the women involved. Norway’s Astrid Oeyre Slind, who finished fourth in the overall World Cup standings last season, was furious at the decision.
“It’s far from what they promised, and they’re blaming it on the lack of female participants. If you accept that, you accept that women’s sport is not a priority. I really don’t think they care about women’s sport. It’s absolutely shocking. In 2025, it shouldn’t be possible to support something like this. I will not tolerate being made fun of in this way,” declared the Norwegian.
As a sign of protest, the 37-year-old cross-country skier decided to burn her race number and posted it in a story on her Instagram page.
Ebba Andersson was also in Norway for the race. The Swede has decided to take part in the 20-kilometre race, even though she does not accept the organisers’ decision.
“I now understand why she’s called “Janteloppet” and not “Jenteloppet” (Jente means girl in Norwegian, editor’s note). Because it’s absolutely not under the same conditions as the men we’re competing with today. As a girl, in this case, you actually feel rather devalued”, Ebba Andersson told SVT Sport.
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