Swedish national team for the Gällivare World Cup

Traditional skiing

Swedish national team for the Gällivare World Cup

by Leandro Lutz • 28.11.2023

Photo: Emma Wallskog/Bildbyrån

The second stage of the cross-country skiing World Cup season 2023/2024 starts this weekend in Gällivare, Sweden. The Swedish national team is now presented.

Gällivare, Sweden, is the place for the second stage of this year’s cross-country skiing World Cup. The event starts on Saturday, December 2, with a 10km interval start race in freestyle technique, followed by a 4×7.5km relay race in classic/freestyle techniques on Sunday, December 3.

In a press release, the Swedish Ski Association has named their cross-country ski team for the upcoming World Cup in Gällivare. Sweden will start with 23 athletes. On the women’s side, Sweden will start with 11 skiers. Already on the men’s side, 12 athletes will start for the Scandinavian country.

“After an intense weekend where we as a national team got off to a very gratifying start with three victories, we will now get to compete at home in Gällivare. We hope for a crowd party and that we get to show off in the best way,” says national team manager Anders Byström.

As the organizing nation, the Swedish national team has the advantage of having a national squad with six skiers in each class in addition to the usual national team.

“It gives us great opportunities to see Swedish skiers who otherwise would not have had a place to compete in the World Cup. In the selections, we have looked at the results from the premiere in Gällivare and from the Ford Smart Energy Cup in Idre Fjäll last weekend. Among others, Gustaf Berglund was really successful there, so it will be exciting to see what he can do on the international stage.”

William Poromaa tested positive for Covid and missed Sunday’s mass start race in Ruka, Finland. Therefore, he will not compete in Gällivare. Jonna Sundling, Linn Svahn, and Frida Karlsson have also tested positive for Covid.

“We are in a situation where several in the team have tested positive for Covid after the World Cup competitions in Ruka. The situation is of course unfortunate, and we are currently taking several measures to minimize further spread of infection as many skiers are already on site in Gällivare. For example, through regular fast tests, continued hygiene with hand sanitizer and use of mouth protection, and that meals are taken in the respective rooms,” says Rickard Noberius, national team doctor.

Jonna Sundling is not competing in Gällivare, but Frida Karlsson is still eligible to start in Saturday’s distance race as she did not show symptoms.

“Frida Karlsson has been isolated and we continue to follow the development of possible infection symptoms and if it turns out that there will be negative tests during the week, before we make a final decision regarding the start of the competition,” says Rickard Noberius.