Takes home the big crystal globe on her first attempt, secures Norway’s first overall victory in 15 years, and can hardly believe it’s true.

“I think it’s great fun, and actually not something I expected when I signed up for this before summer,” Ragnhild Aarekol tells Langrenn.com after the overall victory became a fact on Sunday afternoon. And this in her very first season on the World Cup circuit.

Aarekol’s overall victory is Norway’s first on the women’s side in 15 years. Guro Strøm Solli won the overall title in 2011.

Wild debut season

The 25-year-old from Vindafjord IL had the overall victory as an ambitious goal for the season, without quite daring to believe in it. But after three strong performances at the World Cup opener in August, it suddenly looked more realistic.

After finishing seventh, tenth, and twelfth in the season opener in Trollhättan, she followed up with three gold medals and one silver at the World Championships in Latvia the first weekend of September. Never before has a Norwegian woman won three gold medals at the Rollerski World Championships.

Aarekol then finished with another victory and a third-place finish at this weekend’s World Cup final in Val di Fiemme, winning the entire overall World Cup with an incredible margin. The gap down to Sweden’s Kajsa Ekenberg in second place is 222 points.

“Early in the cup, I started realizing that this could actually turn out pretty well, and it did! It really can’t get any better than this,” she says.

For Aarekol, the success provides important momentum heading into the final buildup to the ski season.

“It also helps a lot with motivation and confidence heading into the winter season,” she says.

Aarekol is quick to highlight her support team and her biggest sponsors.

“This would never have been possible without my mom, dad, and my club Vindafjord IL.”

Also Read – Roller Ski World Cup: Complete program for Val di Fiemme

Secures Norwegian victory in the Nations Cup

In addition to her individual overall World Cup victory, Aarekol is a key reason Norway beat Sweden in the Nations Cup.

“It’s always fun to beat the Swedes, especially when they even had the first round of the World Cup on home ground,” she says.

Ragnhild Aarekol also thanks the rest of the team for their effort, and not least for the way she has been welcomed by the team.

“It was really great teamwork from the ‘Norway Rollerski Team,’ a great group to travel with, and a group I’ve grown very fond of in a short time. This has been a completely wild experience, and, sadly, it’s over. But I’m already looking forward to next year and new experiences together with the team.”

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