In March, Calle Halfvarsson took his first individual podium place in the World Cup since 2018 when he finished second in Falun. Now he is looking forward to the 2027 World Championships in Falun.

The place is City Square in Falun. Via the big screen, it was announced that Falun will host the 2027 Nordic World Championships.

Having the World Championships at home is important to all Swedes but of higher importance to Calle Halfvarsson, who grew up in Sågmyra (Municipality in Sweden), 30 km from Lugnet’s ski stadium.

And speaking of Lugnet’s ski stadium, it is where the now 33-year-old Swedish cross-country skier has done an innumerable number of training sessions. It was there that Halfvarsson, in mid-March, rounded off a tough World Cup season by getting on the podium again. This is when he finished second in the season’s last World Cup race, just nine seconds behind the winner Didrik Tønseth:

“It was wonderful to step on the podium again, and of course, it was special to be able to do this in Falun. Getting that success gives me a sense of security before the summer training, and it is also proof that I keep up. Then there was a special competition, the last of the season and after the Olympics. But I think it would have been enough for a fourth or a fifth place if “everyone” had been involved,” says Halfvarsson humbly.

This was his first individual podium place in the World Cup since the premiere weekend in Ruka 2018. And as if that were not enough, he won the day after the premiere of the new mixed relay together with Jonna Sundling:

“It was very fun, but if you compete with Jonna, it will take a lot if you do not win,” Halfvarsson smiles.

How do you see the season?

“I know that if I just “have the day,” I can go really fast, and I feel strong. I hope to do that at the World Championships in Planica in February. But to get to a good World Championships, I need to do good competitions on the way forward to take place in the team,” says Halfvarsson, who has not yet signed the national team agreement:

“The salary is not where we want it to be today, so they have to work with it, and we all in the national team have to work with it. There are sponsors, and for me, it is strange that it is not possible to solve better than what is done, but now it is at least set in motion, and we skiers have decided that something must happen. It must not continue as it has been for many years now. I have received great offers from teams this year to go long-distance skiing. As it looks right now, it is better paid to go in a team compared to the national team,” Halfvarsson said to DT’s live broadcast from the announcement of the 2027 World Championships.

Calle Halfvarsson made his World Championships debut in Val di Fiemme in 2013. He followed it up by competing at the home World Championships in Falun. Both times he was silver medal in the relays.

Both times he had to go compete against Petter Northug:

“It was cool to experience a World Championships at home. My strongest memories from there are Charlotte and Johan’s gold (Kalla and Olsson). For my part, the 2015 Falun World Championships was not what I wanted individually. I was sixth at the 30km, but I aimed higher than that.”

Are you going to race in Falun 2027?

“It would be nice to compete in two home World Championships. Then I have to perform so well that I get selected. But the hope right now is that I will keep it until 2027. And I think it’s so much fun. But of course, it depends on the years leading up to it. I want to feel that I keep up the way I want, but it’s clear; if I win gold in Trondheim 2025, the place is already secured,” Calle Halfvarsson smiles.