Summit 2 Senja on Sunday, April 2, will end Ski Classics Season XIV. Five Pro Team Directors have been nominated for the award of Best Pro Team Director of the Season. 

The award recognizes Pro Team Directors with extraordinary directorial skills, unwavering dedication, and unconditional love for long-distance skiing, working correctly to develop Ski Classics. 

In Season XIV, five nominees will be presented during this week. They are all in the race to win the award. Nominee #2 is Oskar Svärd, the Pro Team Director of Team Eksjöhus.

Oskar Svärd runs a Pro Team that has achieved excellent performances in a short time, being a newly established team. He has remarkable professionalism in managing the team and is committed to his athletes’ success. Oskar’s dedication and hard work are important in making Team Eksjöhus one of the top contenders in the Ski Classics Pro Tour.

In a recent interview, Oskar Svärd shared his thoughts on what motivates him in his role, how he wants to develop the sport, and his challenges.

“It’s a great honor,” says Svärd about the nomination.

Oskar Svärd is one of the most successful long-distance skiers of the 21st century. He has three victories in both Vasaloppet and Jizerská50 and has also won Marcialonga, among others.

“When I finished my elite effort, I was an expert commentator for a couple of seasons, but I missed being close and working with the skiers, so it has been awesome to work with the build-up of Team Eksjöhus during these last two seasons,” says Svärd.

Team Eksjöhus will finish its second season in Ski Classics this coming weekend:

“It has been awesome to build up and set up the organization as a brand-new team. It has been a rollercoaster in many ways. But it is important to note that it is a team effort. With us leaders, waxing team, partners, and skiers. I’m passionate about helping the skiers dedicate, develop, and have fun with skiing,” says Svärd.

How do you feel about being one of the nominees for the Pro Team Director of the Season?

“Great! An honor. But, as I said, it is important to point out that I am far from alone in this work. There are many of us around the team, not least Espen (Träldal), sports director and owner.”

What is your biggest motivation for being a Pro Team Director?

“It’s about seeing the development, supporting the skiers, and seeing how much fun they have together and as skiers. I think it’s fantastic to see the development that has taken place since I started focusing on long races in 1999 when I had to hunt for sponsors on my own to afford to go to a competition. Now, thanks to Ski Classics, there is the opportunity for so many more people to commit to long races.”

What is the most enjoyable and most challenging about your job?

“We work with people, so there are always things to deal with, such as illnesses and injuries. But without a doubt, the toughest part in this role was when we signed a contract with a Finnish skier who was found to have used doping, something that both Espen and I are so incredibly against. I just want to forget that. I’d rather look at the fantastic things we got to experience; Axel (Jutterström) went from being a not known skier to being third in Vasaloppet. And then, of course, Magni (Smedås) joined our team in a few races last year. That development and what she brings to the team is awesome to see,” says Oskar Svärd.

How do you see Ski Classic’s development?

“Ski Classics has meant that more people can dedicate themselves to the sport, which is incredibly valuable. Then if you look at the development ahead, you must look at how many races there should be; it is important to ensure that everyone starts all the races. Skiers must attend the competitions. And so, it is important to stick to the four big events. The monuments. They should have the weight that they have, and there must not be ‘double weekends’ in connection with them.”

What is your best memory from the season?

“Magni’s victory in Marcialonga was awesome. But there is still one weekend left, so I hope we can top it,” says Svärd with a smile.

Next up is Reistadløpet on April 1 and Summit 2 Senja on April 2. The events mark the 13th and 14th Ski Classics stages and the final weekend of Season XIV.

The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)

• Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
• Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
• Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km 
• Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
• Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
• Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.