Today, the Junior Roller Ski World Championships starts in Madona, Latvia. The Swedish Anton Grahn, who dominated the event last year, is one of the big favorites for 2023.

“The goal with the Junior World Championships is to ski better than I did last year and take as many medals as possible,” says Grahn to Langd.se.

This is an intense roller skiing weekend: Topidrettsveka, long-distance races, Roller Ski World Cup and Junior World Championships in Madona, Latvia.

For the Junior World Championships, one of the favorites is the Swedish Anton Grahn, who won two gold medals at the roller ski event last year. In addition, he won the sprint race at the Junior World Championships (on snow) in Whistler, Canada, in January, and a month and a half ago left behind the Swedish elite and won the sprint race at the Swedish Championships week. 

Also Read: All the winners at the Swedish roller ski championships week

What was your training during the Summer?

“I’m still a junior this coming winter, and the main goal is the Junior World Championships. But this Summer, I have added a little more training volume to build capacity before becoming a senior. So, there will be a little more hours than last year,” says Grahn.

What is the goal of the Junior Roller Ski World Championships?

“The goal is to race better than I did last year and win as many medals as possible,” says Grahn during the travel to the Baltics.

On the program is an individual race in classic technique, a 200-meter sprint, and a mass start race in free technique:

“The course for the classic race is tough with many uphill and downhill stretches. However, there is quite a lot of rest on that course. The skate race is decided “in the city,” so it is a little less hilly, but also not as much rest. So, it’s about staying on all the time to be able to go fast, which makes it pretty tough anyway,” says Grahn.

Swedish Roller Ski Team

World Cup

• Jackline Lockner
• Linn Sömskar
• Simon Karlsson

Junior World Championships

• Alva Ersson
• Mira Göransson
• Matilda Grahn
• Nora Wallenius
• Ludvig Berg
• Harald Ekenberg
• Anton Grahn
• Jonatan Lindberg
• Elias Malm
• Viktor Norberg

Women’s World Cup Ranking

• Linn Sömskar, Sweden, 417 points 
• Jackline Lockner, Sweden, 367 points
• Sophia Tsu Velicer, Taiwan, 304 points

Men’s World Cup Ranking

• Tommaso Dellagiacoma, Italy, 346 points
• Matteo Tanel, Italy, 340 points
• Emanuele Becchi, Italy, 318 points

Video Teaser for the Madona Roller Ski World Cup 2023

Video credits to Madona Roller Ski World Cup/FIS Roller Skiing

Program for the Madona Roller Ski World Cup and Junior World Championships

• August 18 – individual race in classic technique (15km men; 10 km women and junior men; 7.5km junior women)
• August 19 – 200m sprint in freestyle technique (women/men and junior women/junior men)
• August 20 – mass start in freestyle technique (20 km men/junior men and 15 km women/junior women)

For a comprehensive Madona Roller Ski World Cup and Junior World Championships events calendar, click here.

Roller Ski Test 

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Read More: The Big Roller Ski Test 2023