Petter Stakston Is Motivated For His First Full Ski Classics Season
Last season, Petter Stakston only raced Birkebeinerrrennet, Reistadløpet, and Ylläs-Levi. But, despite not being present during most of the Ski Classics season, Stakston still impressed with his strong performances, managing to finish top 20 in both Reistadløpet and Ylläs-Levi, after a season focused on traditional cross-country skiing.
The 25-year-old Norwegian skier has also had a very good summer in training and racing. Results like the 9th position at the Rollerski World Cup stage in Telemark, the 5th at Totenrullen, and the most notable win at Klarälvsloppet show that this young skier is going through a good phase in his career.
Read more here: Ida Dahl and Petter Stakston Winners of Klarälvsloppet
And now, joining the new Pro Team, Team Aker Dæhlie, has opened a world of new possibilities, from learning from some of the world’s best long-distance skiers to better support during the season.
ProXCskiing talked to Petter Stakston during a training camp with his team in Mallorca, and we got to know a bit more about his ambitions and how he is adapting to the new group.
Congratulations on your victory at Klarälvsloppet! How do you feel about it, and what were the main challenges of the race?
“Thank you! It was really fun to experience the thrill of winning a race again. It has been a while since the last triumph, and it doesn’t happen daily. The rollerski race was a cool event with quite a special and fun course. When a few skiers broke away from the main group, I managed to follow, which turned out to be essential for the result. I was in great shape that day and felt strong throughout the course. With a good amount of energy and power left, I decided to attempt a quick speed boost to shake the final skiers off and managed to keep this lead all the way to the finish line.”
It has been a good summer for you, with Klarälvsloppet and 5th at Totenrullen, both Ski Classics Challengers events. How has been your summer training? And what are your goals for the upcoming winter season?
“Summer training has been good! Lots of continuity and repetition of main aspects focused on long rides and threshold workouts. One of the main focuses has also been a gradual adaptation to long-distance training and the infamous toughening of the body for the heavy load of 90km.”
“Considering this is my first full season of long-distance races, I am mainly trying to learn the basics and dynamics of the races while soaking up all the knowledge and experience I can. Of course, I also aim to be among the top skiers, but this is not where my main focus lies. My primary focus this coming season is the Ski Classics and competing in all races. I do hope to compete for the Youth-bib, though! This past summer’s results are a great motivation to keep working hard.”
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You now represent a new team with some of the best Pro Tour skiers. How do you think Team Aker Dæhlie will help you to improve as an athlete?
“I am very privileged to be part of this team, with all the great and down-to-earth skiers they have managed to gather. The result of this is a ton of knowledge and experience internally that I hope to soak up and bring with me. We have an awesome culture of sharing, and we all appreciate being open to learning from and of each other.”
Read More: Team Aker Dæhlie Presented In Norway
Speaking of your team, how was the training camp in Spain?
“Team Aker Daehlie was spending some days in Mallorca for a training camp this October. The conditions for rollerskiing were fantastic, with the mountains and hills close by. It’s the best of both worlds, really. Primarily, workouts were centered around long distances but also some tougher sessions. It’s a good group, and we were having fun, but also challenging each other and training-wise.”
Last but not least, why do you love skiing?
“I grew up in Lillehammer, a city with great winter conditions and cross-country arenas, and I’ve loved snow and skiing since childhood. Skiing quickly became a hobby of mine, and I later found a particular interest in and passion for endurance sports, which made cross-country skiing a perfect match.”