Norwegian national team colleagues had barely seen Kristine Stavås Skistad since the presentation days in April when the teams were introduced. In the media, she appears mysterious, but within the ski club, she’s someone completely different.

Few have trained with the Norwegian sprint star from Konnerud this summer. Kristine Stavås Skistad hasn’t participated in any of the national team’s training camps since she – quite unexpectedly – joined the team in April. This aligns perfectly with what the traditional cross-country skier announced at the Norwegian national team presentation: 

“I’m continuing as before and going underground after this week, staying there until Beitostølen,” said Skistad at the time.

Also Read: Skistad: “I’m going underground now”

Anniken Sand is one of the few who ‘has’ trained with Kristine Stavås Skistad, both this season and last year. Last winter, Sand took three of Norway’s ten medals at the Junior World Championships, more than anyone else on the team.

The Strongest Women’s Team in the World?

On paper, Team Konnerud might be one of the strongest women’s teams globally, both inside and outside national systems. Besides talent like Sand and arguably the best sprint skier in the world, Kristine Stavås Skistad, the senior squad this year includes Julie Bjervig Drivenes, Mari Svingheim, Margrethe Dyrhovd, Maria Hartz Melling, and Margrethe Bergane.

Together, they have participated in over 91 World Cup races, won 10 of them, and stood on the podium in seven others, with five top 10 finishes. Bergane also won the U23 World Cup overall last winter and finished second in 2023. Additionally, they have earned 12 medals in Junior and U23 World Championships.

Several athletes, including Sand, have turned down national team offers at various levels to train with Team Konnerud. So, what makes some of the world’s best skiers choose the club over the Norwegian national team?

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Skistad’s Special Agreement

Skistad agreed to sign a contract with the Norwegian national team this season, but only on the condition that she could continue training with her club just as before.

In practice, this means that Skistad has a special agreement with the Norwegian Ski Association, allowing her to represent the national team only during international competitions. The rest of the time, she trains with her club. However, there’s no doubt that both the coaches and the other national team athletes would like to see more of Skistad, even without a race bib.

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Team Konnerud: The Glue Holding It All Together

Team Konnerud is a training community for elite skiers from Konnerud and surrounding clubs, with Lage Sofienlund as the head coach. This year, the team consists of 20 skiers, 10 men and 10 women, including Skistad.

“We have a crazy thing going that’s impossible to explain. What we have is too good to put into words. But it’s about what we do every day. We have our own unique thing,” Skistad said to Langrenn.com after her win at the 2023 Norwegian Championship sprint.

Anniken Sand agrees, adding that the team’s commitment to the program day in and day out speaks for itself. 

“People are willing to travel quite far just to come to training. Margrethe Dyrhovd, for example, drives over an hour each way almost every day,” she says.

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A Unique Training Culture

Team Konnerud doesn’t hold training camps or altitude stays. Instead, they conduct group training sessions three to five days a week, sometimes with double sessions. Almost everyone participates in everything.

For Sand, this daily contact and follow-up are extremely valuable and motivating. On the physical side: 

“There’s always someone to push yourself against. As a woman, you’re never the best in training. And in such a large group, there’s always someone good at the things you need to practice,” she explains.

But even more important is the sense of community. Sand feels that the regular contact and interaction contribute to raising the level of the entire team in a way that a camp-based training setup could never achieve. 

“We become a very tight-knit group when we meet so often. We develop a shared culture and structure, which creates a very strong team spirit. And when everyone shares, everyone gains more. You really feel that when you give something, you get 19 things in return,” Sand tells.

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Sand reflects on what she’s learned from being part of the team: 

“I’ve learned so much about how to help each other improve, even though we compete in an individual sport. When we know each other so well, it’s easy to understand each other’s training routines and figure out how we can help each other get better. I’ve learned a lot from the others on the team, both the men and the women, but especially about skiing in a pack and how to handle finishing stretches. Margrethe Dyrhovd and Kristine (Stavås Skistad) are very good at that.”

When asked if she contributes anything to the team as the youngest and newest member: 

“I hope some of them have learned something from me too. I think I’m pretty good at matching in uphill sections, which is one of my strengths. And I’m good at coming prepared and focused for training, which helps set a standard.”

Finally, what is Kristine Stavås Skistad like during training with the team, given her focus and somewhat mysterious public image? 

“We look up to her. The entire team respects what she’s capable of. But she’s not the kind of person who puts herself above others. She’s great at sharing, curious about what others are doing, and a good teammate I trust.”

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