He dominated the 2023 season. She dominated 2024. Ahead of this season, the Swedish and Norwegian ski stars have moved in together and taken their performance to the next level.

“I’m definitely better than I was at this time last year,” says Emil Persson ahead of the season opener in Bad Gastein, Austria, this weekend. A significant change in the Swedish long-distance star’s life is that he and Norwegian queen of long-distance skiing Emilie Fleten became a couple last winter. This summer, they took it a step further: they’re now living together.

“It’s not like I’ve done much differently in my training this year, but I’ve found a better balance between training and other things in life now,” says Persson.

The 29-year-old had his breakthrough in 2023, becoming the first Swede in 11 years to win the Vasaloppet. That winter, he claimed nine Ski Classics victories out of 14 races and won the prestigious long-distance series overall by a margin of over 800 points.

The same year, Fleten secured her first Ski Classics win, triumphing in the Vasaloppet just over an hour after Persson. The Norwegian long-distance star had her major breakthrough this past winter, winning seven Ski Classics races and clinching the 2024 overall title with a margin of over 500 points.

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Now, the couple has moved in together, and they’re convinced it has helped them prepare even better for the upcoming season.

There’s plenty of talk about training, cross-country skiing, and long-distance racing at home—after all, that’s the passion that brought them together.

“We talk a lot about training at home and try to help each other. We also do several training sessions together. Let’s just say there’s a lot of skiing talk in this house,” says Persson.

He explains that it has added a whole new dimension to his training.

“It’s a huge advantage to have someone at home who truly understands what you’re thinking and how you feel. It means we can give each other great advice on what to do in different situations. Emilie has helped me make some good decisions this fall. I tend to get a bit overzealous and stick to my plan without considering the consequences. She reins me in and keeps me grounded,” he says, adding:

“I’ve learned that you should listen to the lady of the house.”

Read more: All you need to know ahead of the Bad Gastein weekend

Professional Secrets
But not everything is shared at the dinner table. Persson races for the Swedish top team Lager 157 Ski Team, while Fleten competes for their archrival Team Ramudden.

“What I do at work stays at work. What I do at home stays at home. You have to keep that separate. We talk about what’s happening on our teams, but we don’t share strategies or tactics. We keep it professional.”

Do you see any challenges in being both housemates and competitors?
“We might have to learn to handle each other’s ups and downs. Hopefully, it’ll just be ups,” says Persson.

Ski Classics Season XVI kicks off with back-to-back races in Bad Gastein, Austria: a 7-kilometer individual start on Saturday, December 14, and the 36-kilometer Bad Gastein Criterium on Sunday, December 15. But the season officially begins with the Pro Team presentations on Friday at 5 PM.

You can watch the team presentations and competitions from Bad Gastein live on SC Play!