Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, surprised all long-distance skiing fans, fighting for the podium in Vasaloppet.

In the end, the skier achieved an outstanding performance and finished in the third position. ProXCskiing learned more about this young and talented Pro Tour skier.

Among all the elite athletes who fought for a position at the podium in Vasaloppet, a young Swedish skier surprised everyone. Axel Jutterström, a skier born in Mora, had a remarkable performance, finishing in the third position, just 1.7 seconds behind the winner.

“I am super happy for my 3rd place. It is a big dream, to reach the podium in Vasaloppet – in the town where I grew up, Mora”, says Axel after the race, feeling proud about his achievement.

Little noticed in the long-distance skiing world before last Sunday, langd.se had already seen the potential of this young skier before the start of the season. However, reaching the podium was something unexpected, even for Axel.

“I did not expect to be on the podium. I believed that a top10 was possible with a good performance”, says Axel to ProXCskiing. 

Jutterström has recently moved from traditional cross-country skiing to a long-distance skiing training approach.

“I think my recent focus on long-distance skiing has helped me a lot. This is the first year that I am totally devoted to long-distance, and I feel prepared for it. But the good results are not only due to this year’s change of training. This is the payoff for a lot of years of training”, says the Swedish skier.

Team Eksjöhus Was a Good Opportunity For Axel’s Career

The recently created Team Eksjöhus, whose director is the 3-time Vasaloppet winner Oskar Svärd, invited Axel Jutterström to join its squad. 

“I got the opportunity from Team Eksjöhus to race in long-distance skiing events. It was too good to miss it”, says Axel, also stating that longer distances and classic style have always been his favorite events. So, moving to compete in the Visma Ski Classics was something natural for him.

But the skier’s ambitions don’t stop here. Hopefully, the 3rd position at Vasaloppet was the beginning of several successes in his skiing career.

“I hope to keep this good shape, and I think my team and I will perform well in the future. We hope to conquer more podiums, and I hope to keep improving my shape and win races. Winning Vasaloppet is my dream”.

These are high ambitions for an athlete that has already conquered one of the most prestigious podiums of the circuit, despite his young age. When asked about some advice for all the young skiers who dream of achieving what he did, his tip is simple. 

“Keep grinding. I was never excellent as a junior skier. But if you put in a lot of effort, the results will come”, concludes Axel.