A year ago, she won Summit 2 Senja after first claiming victory in Birken. This winter, she lost almost the entire season due to burnout. But instead, she found love—through an incredible story.

Magni Smedås may be frustrated, irritated, and upset that her season fell apart. But amid the hardship, she has found happiness. And all thanks to a pair of sports sunglasses. Now, she shares her story with the Norwegian local newspaper, gd.no.

Magni Smedås, one of the standout performers in last season’s Ski Classics, was a spectator at the men’s final stage of the Tour de Ski last year. French skier Théo Schely tossed his sunglasses away, and Magni picked them up. That moment marked the beginning of an incredible love story.

“I wanted to return the gear to him personally, but it turned out to be harder than I expected. So I had no choice but to use social media,” Smedås told the local newspaper.

She posted a picture on her Instagram Story, and from there, things started rolling. The connection was established.

“We started messaging each other and decided to meet at Skarverennet. But that didn’t happen. Then summer came, and we were both busy with our things”, she continues.

Finally, a Meeting

But they kept chatting until Magni thought: “Oh, whatever, I’ll go,” booked a trip to France, and made a spontaneous visit to Théo.

Both were a bit nervous, and at that point, it hadn’t yet turned into a relationship. Théo was also unsure because he felt his English wasn’t good enough.

Magni arrived “as a friend” and also got to know his family.

“Yes, we were just friends then, but I think we both understood that there was something very special between us,” she says now.

Lillehammer

Now, they have been together in Lillehammer for over a month, and Théo Schely is settling in well with Magni.

“We’ve really started to get to know each other now. Magni is the more structured one, while I take things as they come. We haven’t argued yet, but maybe that would be strange after such a short time,” he told gd.no.

How do you see a long-distance relationship?
“We’re aware of the challenges, but I think I’ll miss him the most. Théo always has so much to do when he’s back home in France, so sometimes it feels like we don’t talk enough on the phone. But I think we’ll manage, and now it’s only two weeks until he’s here again”, Magni says.

The couple has been together since December and has had some extra time together since both have struggled with illnesses and injuries during the winter. Additionally, Théo injured himself when they tried out a sledding hill near Magni’s home. He came to a sudden stop and had to go to the hospital for a check-up.

Shared Interests

It’s easy to understand why conversations flow effortlessly when two elite athletes are together. For now, they speak English.

“We’re very much in love,” says Magni Smedås when the couple meets the newspaper at her home in Kanthaugen.

They train together and are not worried about handling long periods apart. Théo Schely, who is part of the French World Cup team, comes from Manigod near La Clusaz.

Magni Smedås hopes to make a comeback after a tough winter. She is one of the stars of Team Eksjöhus and won her second Norwegian Championship medal in the longest distance last winter. One of her goals for this season was the World Championships in Trondheim.

“We have a great time together, laugh a lot, and don’t take ourselves too seriously. Théo lets me show my slightly crazy side and doesn’t try to tone me down. It’s also really nice to have a partner who understands what you do. We are both equally ambitious and dream of performing at our best on the ski tracks,” says Magni Smedås, who, despite a difficult season, is very happy with life.

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