The World Ski Orienteering Championships will be held in Ramsau, Austria, from January 23-27. The Swedish team includes several gold medal hopefuls, notably Tove Alexandersson. However, this weekend, one of the team’s biggest stars suffered a clavicle fracture and will miss the World Championships.

There are two weeks left until the World Ski Orienteering Championships. The Austrian town of Ramsau, situated at about 1,100 meters above sea level, will be the venue for the competition.

The most accomplished athlete in the squad is Tove Alexandersson, with 19 World Orienteering Championships golds and 10 World Ski Orienteering Championships golds. Alexandersson, a previous winner of both the Jerring Prize and the Bragdguldet (Swedish awards), makes an exciting comeback in ski orienteering, having focused on ski mountaineering in recent winter seasons.

Other accomplished athletes on the women’s side include Linda Lindkvist, Magdalena Olsson, and Frida Sandberg.

“Our stated goal is to win a medal per day, and then we want to win the gold in the mixed relay. On the women’s side, I would consider it a failure if we don’t win individual gold,” says national team coach Martin Hammarberg to Langd.se.

On the men’s side, Jonathan Ståhl won the European Championships gold in sprint last year. But at this weekend’s competition in Östersund, the team suffered an unfortunate injury. Highly experienced Andrey Lamov, who acquired Swedish citizenship in November, fell and broke his clavicle and injured his shoulder blade, thus missing the World Championships.

 An exciting return is made by 34-year-old Gustav Nordström, who last competed in a World Cup ski orienteering event in 2010. His last cross-country skiing World Cup appearance was in 2019.

Program

• Tuesday, January 23 – Sprint
• Wednesday, January 24 – Pursuit
• Friday, January 26 – Middle Distance
• Saturday, January 27 – Mixed Relay

Sweden’s Team for the World Ski Orienteering Championships

Women

• Anna Aasa, OK Renen
• Tove Alexandersson, Stora Tuna OK
• Hanna Eriksson, IFK Mora OK
• Linda Lindkvist, IK Jarl Rättvik
• Magdalena Olsson, IFK Mora OK
• Elin Schagerström, Garphyttans IF
• Frida Sandberg, Säterbygdens OK

Men

• Albin Gezelius, IFK Mora OK
• Gustav Johnsson, IFK Mora OK
• Truls Lindholm, Sundsvalls OK
• Isak Lundholm, Umeå OK
• Gustav Nordström, IFK Umeå
• Jonatan Ståhl, IFK Mora OK
• Rasmus Wickbom, I 19 IF

Are you interested in ski orienteering? Stay tuned to ProXCskiing.com for more information.