Au sommaire de Planète Nordic
Sweden 🇸🇪 – Ebba Andersson missing from photo with Swedish royal family
The Nordic World Championships in Trondheim (Norway) were a landmark event for the Swedes, with six victories in six races. FridaKarlsson dominated the final event, the 50km, on Sunday, winning her first individual gold medal at the World Championships.
After this success, the family of the Crown Princess came down to the finish area to congratulate the Swedish cross-country skiers. The entire national team gathered with the Crown Princess’s family for a team photo. Everyone was present except Ebba Andersson.
Indeed, after the race Ebba Andersson was totally devastated by her fourth place. She was comforted for long minutes by team-mates and Swedish team officials. After passing through the mixed zone, the 27-year-old went off to make a phone call while her team-mates got together with the Crown Princess’s family to take photos.
She was walking just behind the finish area and talking on the phone while the photos were being taken. In fact, the national team had not given Ebba Andersson the information that the photos with the royal family would be taken. A situation that dismayed national coach Anders Bystroem.
“It was a mistake on our part, so we apologise to Ebba. I don’t feel good about the situation,” he admitted to Expressen.
Italy 🇮🇹 – Dorothea Wierer helps Frida Karlsson prepare for the Trondheim Worlds
Sweden’s Frida Karlsson rounded off her world cross-country skiing championships in Trondheim (Norway) with victory in the 50km skate. However, the winter was not an easy one for the 25-year-old cross-country skier, who was plagued by injuries.
After her masterful victory in Les Rousses (Jura) in mid-January, the Swedish star chose to abstain from all competition until the World Championships. Instead, she went to a high-altitude camp in Italy to regain her form for the championship. But Frida Karlsson had a small problem. She needed a treadmill to train on.
In the end, Frida Karlsson managed to gain access to a treadmill belonging to one of the biggest stars in winter sports, Italian biathlete Dorotea Wierer. The two champions did not know each other, as the Swede tells Expressen.
Our relationship was nothing until I contacted her and asked if I could borrow her treadmill for five weeks,” laughs Frida Karlsson. Dorotea Wierer said yes. She gave me the key. It was very kind of her to do that. It gave me a good boost for the Worlds. She’s very kind and sociable,” said Frida Karlsson.
Finland 🇫🇮 – Jasmi Joensuu receives a surprising message on the windscreen of his car
Jasmi Joenssu, Finland’s number one sprinter, did not win a single medal at the World Championships in Trondheim (Norway). In the sprint, Jasmi Joensuu exited in the semi-finals, then in the women’s sprint and relay team, she finished fourth.
After the competition, the Finn received a surprising message of congratulations. The 28-year-old cross-country skier found this note on her windscreen : “Hello Jasmine! Thank you for these superb world championships and congratulations!
The Finn went to these World Championships with the aim of winning a medal, which she failed to achieve.
“I came to these World Championships with high goals. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed because I knew I could fight for the medals. I’ve had some difficult days mentally, but I also feel very privileged to be able to do exactly what is so important to me”, Jasmi Joenssu told Ilta-Sanomat.
Russia 🇷🇺 – Elena Välbe confident about the return of Russian athletes next winter
The President of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation, Elena Välbe, is confident that Russian athletes will be able to resume competing for the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) next season. Since Ukraine was invaded by Russian military forces in February 2022, the FIS has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in international competitions under its supervision.
Recently, thanks to the relaxation of the FIS President Johan Eliasch, who said he was in favour of a relaxation similar to that of the Paris 2024 Games for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Games, and the international political situation, there has been increasing talk of the possible return of Russian athletes to the international stage.
“We’ll probably know something between the end of April and the beginning of May. The FIS Council won’t meet before then. The return will certainly take place. In our case, maybe as early as next season. We draw up our training plans taking into account the international competitions ,” said the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in a press release.
Ukraine 🇺🇦 – Oleksandra Merkushyna appreciates Julia Simon’s gesture
In the women’s relay at the Biathlon World Cup in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) on Sunday, the French team came out on top. Perfectly launched by her team-mates – Lou Jeanmonnot, Océane Michelon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet – Julia Simon finished the job. After the final shot, the race was won for Les Bleues.
On her final lap, Julia Simon was on the verge of taking a lap from the last Ukrainian relay runner, Oleksandra Merkushyna, and thus putting an end to her race. Having won the race, Julia Simon instead decided to stay behind the 20-year-old biathlete.
Oleksandra Merkushyna, the recent bronze medallist in the mass start at the World Junior Championships in Östersund, poked fun at the moment on her Instagram page. The Ukrainians finished the relay in seventeenth place.
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