“It was not the end of the season we hoped for. After the success in the Reistadløpet, we simply did not get it. We had hoped for more, but sometimes that’s not true. Now we are looking forward to next season,” says Oskar Svärd.

Team Eksjöhus sums up the season with a fifth place in the Pro Team competition, five podium places, and an honorable third place for Axel Jutterström in the hunt for the pink youth bib. In addition to that, several nice top 10 placements and achievements from the team Pro Tour skiers.

“We are very happy with our first season in Ski Classics. We look back on a number of great achievements and many wonderful moments together as a team. From this summer’s nice recharging, where we showed early on that we were a team to be reckoned with, to the team victory in the Reistadløpet two weekends ago,” says Oskar.

But the season also offered tough setbacks. In January, part of the team fell ill with covid, something that marked the season a long time after.

“We had a very tough period at the beginning of the year. The period of illness not only affected the races in January, but the persistent worries also affected the season planning, and we had a hard time getting back in shape. But we came back and got a full hit in the season’s penultimate race.”

The Work For Next Season

Right now, the team has a well-deserved holiday over Easter. But already on May 1, the skiers’ pre-season starts when the foundation is to be laid for the winter competitions. Oskar and Espen have already begun to work on the planning.

“Before this season, we started from scratch. Now we have built up an organization with more experience and more parts in place, where we can take on next season. Even if some of us have been in the long-distance circus for a long time, nothing can replace the experience you get from skiing, traveling, and participating for an entire season. Now we have laid the foundation and look forward together to the next season and the next step in our development as a team,” says Oskar.

Oskar’s List – The Season’s Ups, Downs and Best Memories in the 2021/2022 Season

Biggest Highlight

“There are many great achievements to choose from. But Axel’s third place at Vasaloppet and Martin’s victory in the Reistadløpet stand out – together, they get to be the biggest highlights.”

Toughest Challenge

“Covid is what has affected us the most, both as a team and as individuals. It not only affected the competitions and the layout, with rule interpretations and quarantines, it also affected individual skiers and took a heavy toll on the entire team.”

Most Useful Lessons

“As a new team in Ski Classics, we learned useful things every competition. It is difficult to choose an individual thing – the whole season was one useful lesson and something that makes us better prepared for 2022/2023.”

Funniest Memory

“The team performance that resulted in a clear victory at Reistadløpet is a wonderful memory. The season was coming to an end and all the skiers got a full hit. Espen and I were in different places on the mountain without any mobile coverage, so we did not know what was happening out there, except that the skiers looked very good when they passed our stations. It was a fun surprise, to say the least, to hear the results afterward.”

Warmest Memory

“My warmest memory is from the award ceremony after Vasaloppet. Axel had just received a bottle of wine for his third place. I mentioned that he should give it to his father, who is behind his success and who has supported him throughout his career. Then he looked me in the eyes and told me how much the team meant to him and how we gave him the right conditions for third place at home in Mora. Helping skiers fulfill their dreams is really the best thing about this job. So, it felt in my stomach, I have to admit.”