The youngest outshone the older ones and took the main scholarships at Camp Ragde Charge. But the overall level of the field made Aukland smile – these are this year’s winners.

The youngest athletes impressed the most when 50 of Norway and Sweden’s biggest talents competed for NOK 50,000 (approx. €4,350) during Aukland’s talent camp, Camp Ragde Charge, at Gardermoen – and a handful of them went home with training scholarships in their accounts.

“Miles ahead of yesterday’s athletes,” summarized Aukland.

See the list of this year’s scholarship winners further down.

On the program were classic workouts such as the Mini-Marcialonga up to Tryvann, and the “King and Queen of the Hill” at Oslo’s steepest climb in Wyllerløypa, where participants got the chance to show off and collect points.

But this year, the Aukland brothers, who own Team Ragde Charge and organize the talent camp, had trouble selecting two main winners. The solution was to divide the scholarship fund a bit differently than in previous years.

“There’s been a very high level among this year’s participants, and it was difficult to pick just two winners. That’s why we split the scholarship among more athletes,” Jørgen Aukland told Langrenn.com.

Also Read: 50 athletes selected for Camp Ragde Charge 2025

Three-way battle in both classes

Among both the girls and the boys, it came down to three athletes in the end. But ultimately, it was Vienna Skinnes and Amund Bjerregaard, two of the youngest participants, who went home from Camp Ragde Charge as this year’s overall winners.

Aukland explained that their performances, compared to the older athletes, tipped the margins in their favor.

Among the girls, Emilie Ruud Lia and Lisa Mjaaland gave Vienna Skinnes the toughest competition.

“Vienna was clearly the strongest in her age group and gave the older girls a fight in several events. But she decided it all by crossing the finish line first in the final 3000-meter,” said Aukland.

Among the boys, it was between Amund Bjerregaard, Halvor Sellesbakk, and Christian Gjellestad Berge.

“Amund collected points all the way and was the fastest of all in the uphill run to Tryvann. There, he beat Halvor Sellesbakk, who had been the fastest up the hill two times before. Halvor otherwise performed well across the board and, along with Christian Gjellestad Berge, gave Amund the toughest challenge,” said Aukland.

Blown away by the level: “Miles ahead of yesterday’s skiers”

The organizers were very impressed by the level of this year’s athletes, as well as their commitment and effort. But after several years of running junior camps, they are seeing a clear trend: today’s youth are far ahead of previous generations.

“We’ve had some fantastic days, and we are very impressed by the youth who participated. Especially on roller skis, today’s athletes are miles ahead of yesterday’s skiers,” Aukland told Langrenn.com.

He was particularly impressed by their double-poling technique and general strength, but highlighted one athlete who stood out.

“If we had to pick one standout performance at this year’s Camp Ragde Charge, it would be Håkon Skjeldal’s effort in the Mini-Marcialonga, where he double-poled away from the competition and skied incredibly fast from Bogstad up to Tryvannstårnet (Tryvann tower),” he said.

However, Jørgen Aukland emphasizes that Camp Ragde Charge is about more than just identifying talent.

“Even though scholarships and nice prizes are handed out, this is primarily a really good training camp where young athletes can meet, train hard sessions together, and pick up tips and advice from the athletes on Team Ragde Charge.”

From Camp Ragde to the national elite team

Several talents have flourished after attending Camp Ragde Charge, including Oskar Opstad Vike, who earned a contract with the Aukland brothers’ long-distance team after the 2022 camp.

The young athlete from Runar IL is now one of three new athletes on the elite national team for 2025–26 after a spectacular start to his senior career last winter. In February, Vike reached the podium in the World Cup and already has five more top-10 finishes in his first senior season.

Also Read: Oskar Opstad Vike shines at the Toppidrettsveka sprint race

Loosely based on Ski-Idol

The concept behind Camp Ragde Charge is loosely based on the “Ski-Idol” talent camp, which ran for several years in the mid-2000s. Among the stars who participated in Ski-Idol were Therese Johaug, Sindre Bjørnestad Skar, Didrik Tønseth, and Anne Kjersti Kalvå.

But instead of 30 participants like Ski-Idol, Camp Ragde Charge is open to up to 50 skiers.

The ambition is to create Norway’s most elite youth training camp. And like Ski-Idol, many scholarships are awarded at Camp Ragde Charge: in total, NOK 50,000 (approx. €4,350) is distributed.

Camp Ragde Charge 2025 Scholarship Winners

• Vienna Skinnes: NOK 7,500 (approx. €652.50)
• Amund Bjerregaard: NOK 7,500 (approx. €652.50)
• Lisa Mjaaland: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Emilie Ruud Lia: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Ada Hagli Lorentzsen: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Halvor Sellesbakk: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Håkon Skjeldal: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Christian B. Gjellestad: NOK 5,000 (approx. €435.00)
• Maja Kulle Andreassen: NOK 2,500 (approx. €217.50)
• Viktor Kullmann: NOK 2,500 (approx. €217.50)

*Currency conversions are based on an approximate exchange rate of 1 NOK = 0.087 EUR as of July 4, 2025.

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