Emil Iversen is finally on the upswing. The 32-year-old, who was dropped from the national team last spring, dreams of making a comeback at the 2025 World Championships on home soil. After the weekend’s races in the Scandinavian Cup, he’s within reach of the overall victory, bringing him a step closer to his World Championship dream.

After the first round of the Scandinavian Cup in December, Emil Iversen was hopelessly far behind in the standings. However, this weekend, he made a comeback. At the halfway point of the second round of the cup, following a second-place finish in the sprint on Friday and a victory in the 20km classic race on Saturday, Iversen led the overall standings by three points over Mattis Stenshagen. This victory was also his first at the international level since his 50km win at the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf.

After finishing sixth in the last race in Otepää over the weekend, a 10km freestyle race, Iversen dropped to second place in the cup standings. However, he is still only 17 points behind Stenshagen.

“The opening round in Vuokatti before Christmas was a very poor weekend for me. It was so bad that I had almost written off the Scandinavian Cup for this season. But I have been training really well physically lately. That’s why it was especially important to show that I can ski fast and win races, especially for myself. And it was fun that I managed to gain some ground in the standings as well. Now I’m back in the fight,” said Iversen.

As a result, the rest of the season must be prioritized strategically, as there is a lot at stake in the final round of the Scandinavian Cup. The overall winner receives a spot in the World Cup for the entire first period of the following winter season, leading up to the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim. This year’s Scandinavian Cup final takes place in Hommelvik, practically on home turf for the native of Trondheim who dreams of a comeback at the Granåsen World Championships next year.

Emil Iversen shares his thoughts with Langrenn.com about the tough times and the upturn in the Scandinavian Cup in Otepää over the weekend, a racing weekend and an arena that has turned things around for the man from Meråker for the second time.

“It was the Junior World Championships in Otepää 13 years ago that marked the start of my international career, so it was a bit special to succeed here again now,” Iversen said.

How does it feel to win races again after everything that has happened?

“It’s a very good feeling. It’s my best racing weekend since the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf. I was a bit affected and moved by it over the weekend, I must admit. It has been a long battle to come back here, a battle with many tears, sweat, and tough moments,” said Iversen, continuing, “But also some good moments. I have been training well, and I knew I was in better shape now than I have been in a long time. Now I have shown it to everyone else as well. There hasn’t been much of that in recent years.”

What does this mean in the grand scheme of things?

“It’s a step in the right direction. I know I’m on track. Now I know what to do. That makes it easier, and I will continue the good work I’ve been doing. I still have a year to work on it.”

Why is this happening now?

“It’s a combination of several things. I did well in the season opener at Beitostølen, but then things went downhill, and I didn’t understand why. Now I have figured out why I didn’t ski fast in Ruka (the week after Beitostølen’s opening, editor’s note) and beyond, and why I skied fast now.”

What specifically is the reason for your success now?

“That’s a secret. But only those closest to me know. A lot of things have clicked now.”

Is it physical, or is it something in your mindset?

“It’s a secret. But the first part of my career, most things just fell into place. When they don’t, it’s an interesting challenge, and it’s cool to see that I’m starting to untangle that knot.”

At the same time, Iversen is quick to thank his supporters and credits them for his progress.

“Many people are involved in this. This is a real team effort. But Mats (his brother and the main person in the Team Ivers project) deserves a lot of credit. He is the one who supports me the most, is with me around the clock, pushes me on the leg every day, and ensures that I never get a break,” said Iversen, adding, “And those at home are important, too. I see that it’s fun for them when I do well. My mom is just as happy and relieved as me when I win.”

What does your training routine look like now, compared to when you were on the national team?

“It’s actually quite similar. It’s about doing the work every day, and I train a lot with training buddies in Trondheim. But I’m more at home now and attend camps with Team Elon Midt-Norge instead of the national team. And I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great group with many promising skiers who I hope will fulfill their potential over time.”

When will we see you with a starting number again?

“It’s not set in stone, but I think I will compete in the Norwegian Cup in Nes the first weekend in February, at the Norwegian Championships in Beitostølen a couple of weeks after that, and of course, the final round of the Scandinavian Cup. That one will be extremely important.”

Scandinavian Cup Standings (Top 3 men, after six out of nine races):

1. Mattis Stenshagen, Follebu IL, 518 points
2. Emil Iversen, IL Varden, 501 points
3. Håvard Moseby, Kjelsås IL, 476 points