The first long-distance race of the year turned into a frightening setback for the ski star who dominated last season and led the Ski Classics overall standings after the opening weekend in December.

Last year, she won seven Ski Classics races and claimed the overall title with a commanding margin. After the season opener in December, she was back in the leader’s jersey. But the first long-distance race of this year was a completely different story.

“Today was just a truly bad day,” Emilie Fleten said after crossing the finish line at the Drei Zinnen Ski Marathon in the Dolomites on Saturday.

Twenty kilometers into the 60-kilometer race, she experienced atrial fibrillation and had to stop.

“My heart rate just spiked, and I had to bring it down. I managed to, and it turned out okay,” said the 31-year-old from Team Ramudden to NRK.

Despite this, Fleten finished in a solid fifth place, three minutes behind the winner, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs. However, she lost both the overall leader’s jersey and the sprint jersey.

The Norwegian long-distance star secured her first Ski Classics victory when she won Vasaloppet in 2023 and had her big breakthrough last year, winning seven Ski Classics races and claiming the overall title for the 2024 season by a margin of over 500 points. After the opening weekend in Austria before Christmas, Fleten stood with a win in the Bad Gastein Criterium long-distance race, a second-place finish in the 10-kilometer Bad Gastein ITT, and the yellow leader’s jersey.

Read more: La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago: Emilie Fleten is back on the top

Skiers Prone to Atrial Fibrillation

Fleten is among several ski stars affected by atrial fibrillation.

On December 7, biathlete Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold had to withdraw from the World Cup round in Kontiolahti due to atrial fibrillation and underwent surgery a few days later after repeated episodes over the years. The Fossum athlete has returned to competition but missed several World Cup races and the chance to fight for the overall title this season.

Sivert Bakken, who recently made a comeback after two years battling myocarditis, underwent surgery for atrial fibrillation in 2021. It was also atrial fibrillation that forced Ole Einar Bjørndalen to retire in 2018.

The day after Tandrevold pulled out of the World Cup in Finland, Erik Valnes was forced to withdraw from the 20-kilometer race at the World Cup in Lillehammer.

Martin Johnsrud Sundby was hospitalized for atrial fibrillation in 2011, and Marit Bjørgen had to abandon the Tour de Ski in 2013 for the same reason. Cross-country talent Jørgen Lippert, who won four medals at the Junior World Championships in Goms in 2018, had to retire after undergoing surgery for atrial fibrillation three times.

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)

Season XVI of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events across 10 event weekends in 6 countries. It started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 13, 2024, with the Pro Team Presentation and ends in Finnsnes, Norway, with the Ski Classics Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja on March 30, 2025.

• Event 0: Friday, December 13, 2024 –Ski Classics Pro Team Presentation XVI – Bad Gastein, Austria
• Event 1: Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Bad Gastein ITT – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
• Event 2: Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: Saturday, January 11, 2025 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon – Sexten, Italy, 60km
• Event 4: Sunday, January 12, 2025 – La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago – Val Venosta, Italy, 11km
• Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55km
• Event 6: Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Marcialonga – Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 7: Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 8: Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 61km
• Event 9: Sunday, February 16, 2025 – Grönklitt ITT – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
• Event 10: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 11: Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 12: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
• Event 13: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
• Event 14: Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com