“I would rather die than finish second,” said the Swedish heroine to Verdens Gang after out-sprinting Therese Johaug in the relay finale, securing Sweden’s gold medal at the 2019 World Championships. Read Torbjörn Nordvall’s column about Stina Nilsson and her Ski Classics Pro Tour debut this weekend.

This is a chronicle by Torbjörn Nordvall, a new contributor to Langd.se and Langrenn.com. Nordvall has extensive experience in the skiing world, including serving as the press manager for the Swedish national cross-country ski team. Now living in Oslo, he closely follows Norwegian skiing and has been an expert for several Norwegian newspapers.

Hooray! Stina Nilsson Is Back on the Cross-Country Ski Tracks

This winter, she will undoubtedly be a crowd favorite in Ski Classics.

Congratulations to the Norwegian long-distance ski team, Team Ragde Charge, for making a brilliant signing. Stina Nilsson is a snow star who commands attention—a skier with a high X-factor.

We shouldn’t expect too much in her first season. Skiing events like Vasaloppet and Marcialonga are entirely different from the traditional Olympic, World Championship, and World Cup races. But seeing Stina take on a new skiing challenge is undeniably exciting.

I know that Stina pursues her goals for her own enjoyment—not to meet others’ expectations. She wants to test herself and see how far she can go. Most importantly, she wants to have a great time. Her biathlon adventure yielded mixed results, and the media eagerly covered both her highs and lows. Stina Nilsson sells.

Choosing Ski Classics is bold, tough, and daring. Her chances of reaching the top are much higher than in biathlon. Now, she no longer has to carry a rifle or find the perfect shooting position while contending with shifting winds.

Ski Classics races are all about mental toughness—the will to endure pain over time. And if anyone has the grit to push through, it’s the fiercely competitive Stina Nilsson.

“I would rather die than finish second,” she told Verdens Gang after out-sprinting Therese Johaug and leading Sweden to gold in the relay at the 2019 World Championships.

A Stellar Skiing Resume:

• 12 Olympic and World Championship medals, including one individual gold and two team golds.
• 16 individual World Cup wins.
• Sprint World Cup champion in the 2018/2019 season.
• Third place in the 2017 Tour de Ski.

As a long-distance skier, she will give it 100%. Half-measures are not in Stina’s nature.

We got a glimpse of her successful training in her long-distance debut at the 90 km Klarälvsloppet roller-ski race. There, Stina kept pace with reigning Ski Classics queen Emilie Fleten from Norway—and crushed the sprint finish!

Stina told SVT: “I had so much fun today.” It was evident from miles away.

Also Read: Stina Nilsson shines at Klarälvsloppet 2024 

A Legacy Rooted in Joy and Determination

Stina’s joy is the heart of what she does. Her calm and integrity are other invaluable qualities.

She grew up in Västerdalarna, Sweden, with two sisters, her father Richard and her mother Karin. Forests and lakes surrounded their home. The peaceful, serene environment was where she felt most at ease during her childhood. Stina was an avid fisherwoman and a soul who loved snow, play, and skiing.

She has always known what she wants, often choosing her own path and being her own boss.

Her journey from Malung’s forests and summer jobs at the local Dance Band Week to the grand international sports stage, competing at the Olympics and World Championships, has been one of confidence and self-assurance. She has handled the intense spotlight on her with grace.

During my years as press manager for the national cross-country team, I learned that there was no point in trying to dictate to such a strong-willed personality. Media interactions had to happen on her terms, as much as possible. With a twinkle in her eye, she often charmed journalists with clever, witty answers.

Stina Nilsson commands respect. No one messes with her—not her rivals, and certainly not the competition.

A Dream Realized

When Stina made her junior World Championship debut in 2013 in Val di Fiemme, Italy, we traveled from our lodging in Predazzo to Moena to meet about 50 curious sponsors. I’ll never forget that interview, with the Marcialonga tracks just outside the meeting room.

Surprisingly, Stina mentioned Vasaloppet as a dream event she wanted to be a part of. The iconic 90-km race between Sälen’s Berga By and Mora had been on her mind for nearly 12 years.

Now, that dream is about to become reality.

Winter is coming, and fans can rejoice: Stina Nilsson is a gift to Ski Classics and Vasaloppet.