The success coach of Kristine Stavås Skistad has made a decision about next season.

The successful coach Lage Sofienlund has been part of the coaching team at Konnerud IL and Team Konnerud for many years. He is perhaps best known as the key figure behind the success of sprint star Kristine Stavås Skistad, and now the 36-year-old has made a decision about the 2025/2026 season.

“Lage Sofienlund will continue in the role as sports director and head coach at Konnerud also next season, the club announced on its channels.

New Coach Headhunted to the Club

Earlier this spring, it was announced that Sofienlund would be joined by a new coaching resource for Team Konnerud and the cross-country skiing effort at Konnerud IL.

After the Norwegian Ski Federation decided to discontinue the development team after the current season, Konnerud secured coaching talent Tinus Dahl.

Now, the successful coach of athletes such as Nora Sanness, Andreas Fjorden Ree, and Håvard Moseby will be part of the setup surrounding Kristine Stavås Skistad.

The World’s Strongest Women’s Team

The senior group Team Konnerud is a training community for elite-level athletes from Konnerud and surrounding clubs, with Lage Sofienlund as head coach. This winter, the team included 20 skiers, ten men and ten women, including sprint star Kristine Stavås Skistad.

Also Read: Teammate on the “mystery of Skistad”

On paper, Team Konnerud may be one of the world’s strongest women’s teams, both within and outside of national team systems.

In addition to Skistad, the roster for the 2024/2025 season included Julie Bjervig Drivenes, Mari Svingheim, Margrethe Dyrhovd, Maria Hartz Melling, Margrethe Bergane, and Anniken Sand.

Together, they have competed in over 100 World Cup races and won a double-digit number of them. Bergane also won the U23 World Cup overall last winter and finished second in 2023. In addition, they have taken more than a dozen medals at the World Championships, Junior World Championships, and U23 World Championships.

Several of the athletes turned down spots on the national team at various levels in favor of Team Konnerud for the 2024/25 season.

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