During the Camp Ragde Charge talent gathering last June, the 100 hand-picked cross-country skiers competed for NOK 100.000 in scholarships. 

The jury has now distributed this year’s prize. Twenty and four skiers were awarded training scholarships. In addition, the jury has awarded two additional scholarships based on effort. 

See the list of scholarship winners at the bottom of the article.

Strong focus on younger athletes

Camp Ragde Charge is more than a training camp. Anders and Jørgen Aukland, who run Team Ragde Charge, see that more young skiers are curious about long-distance skiing and want more opportunities to focus on. 

For example, the duo wants to contribute to the development through the talent gathering Camp Ragde Charge.

“We feel that younger skiers are fond of long-distance. They are fearless and curious and are not held back by old, trusted ideas that long-distance training is too tiring and that it goes beyond normal cross-country skiing,” says Jørgen Aukland to Langrenn.com, emphasizing that the two complement each other. 

“We also see that the biggest young talents join long-distance teams and use it to develop as skiers, both regarding traditional cross-country skiing and long-distance skiing. To succeed in traditional and long-distance skiing, one must have capacity, endurance, strength, and speed.” 

The concept for Camp Ragde Charge is based on the talent camp Ski-Idol, which was organized for several years in the mid-2000s. But instead of 30 participants like Ski-Idol, Camp Ragde Charge is open to up to 100 skiers between 14 and 18 years of age. 

The article continues below.

Showing results

Two of Team Ragde Charge’s young athletes have strongly performed this summer. 

On the last weekend in June, Oskar Opstad Vike (19) won the 50km Kanalrennet in front of the entire world elite. The Team Ragde Charge’s junior sensation crushed three-time world champion Simen Hegstad Krüger and all the long-distance athletes. 

Vike was one of the scholarship winners from Camp Ragde Charge 2022 and joined the team last summer.

Read More: Opstad Vike about his win at Kanalrennet 

In addition, Solveig Lie Støverud, who recently signed a contract with Team Ragde Charge to invest in traditional and long-distance skiing, has also been selected for the Norwegian Ski Association’s international junior meeting in August. The 18-year-old is one of only five Norwegian girls outside the junior national team selected for the prestigious gathering. 

The scholarship winners of 2023

There are three winners in each of the five-year classes who were invited to the camp. The distribution of scholarships is the same for each age group and gender: NOK 5.000, NOK 3.000, and NOK 2.000.

Girls 

• 2009: 1. Lisa Mjaaland, 2. Signe Farbu, 3. Silja Holmvik
• 2008: 1. Linnea Cicilie Øyesvold, 2. Malva Nilsen, 3. Emilie Ruud Lia
• 2007: 1. Ingrid Vollan Benum, 2. Oda Skari, 3. Ada Maria Stenseth
• 2006: 1. Marie Vollan Benum, 2. Tuva Svindland, 3. Julie Fulford
• 2005: 1. Hanna Sørbye, 2. Mathea Tegdal, 3. Petronella Haram

Boys

• 2009: 1. Iven Bergersen, 2. Christian Berge Gjellestad, 3. Lars Kålås Abrahamsen
• 2008: 1. Halvor Sellesbakk, 2. Valter Blomberg Gerle, 3. Elias Dybing
• 2007: 1. Tage Börjesson, 2. Iver Lund Gjerde, 3 Oskar Olsson
• 2006: 1. Sigve Benonisen 2. Olav Fugelsøy, 3. Kasper Fet Støtvig
• 2005: 1. Jens Kristoffer Dyrdahø, 2. Tørres Nøstdal, 3. Martin Christoffer Borg

In addition, two additional scholarships were awarded to those who excelled during Camp Ragde Charge. These scholarships go this year to Nora Christine Hansen and Noah Marius Olsen.