She burst onto the Norwegian cross-country skiing scene last fall, dominated for a few weeks, and then went quiet. Now, the 24-year-old from Norway is back.

First, she beat the World Cup elite in the Finnish season opener in Muonio. Then, she became the talk of the Norwegian national season opener at Beitostølen, where she crushed the World Cup field again in the sprint prologue, took second place in the final, and secured a spot on the team for the World Cup opener in Ruka the following week.

But then it went quiet. What happened to Ingrid Andrea Gulbrandsen?

After a roaring start in Finland and Beitostølen in November, along with a strong podium finish in the Scandinavian Cup in December, the unlucky athlete – who had much of the last three seasons disrupted by injuries and surgeries – suffered a new wave of injuries and illnesses.

“It went so well at Beitostølen and the weeks afterward, so when I was home training at Christmas, I wanted to try skiing in regular classic boots again. But that wasn’t smart because the Tuesday after the National Cup weekend at Lygna in the New Year, I felt a sharp pain in my foot again,” she explains to Langrenn.com, continuing:

“Then I got an inflammation on the top of my foot, and it hurt so much that I had to go home from the Scandinavian Cup in Otepää the following week. After that, I only trained on the SkiErg and did alternative training for three weeks. But when that got better, I got sick. And by the time I was back in shape, the season was almost over.”

The story continues below.

The season wasn’t a complete loss, as Gulbrandsen earned a spot on the recruit national team. She’s one of two new female athletes on the team this season, and the timing couldn’t have been better – two of her former training partners have now either retired or moved away.

Langrenn.com caught up with last year’s rising star between two training camps as a busy fall is about to become even more hectic. There’s a lot for Gulbrandsen to accomplish before the national season opener at Beitostølen in just over three weeks.

The national season opener at Beitostølen will take place from November 22-24. See the complete program for the race weekend at the end of the article.

“We just finished a camp in Sandefjord, so now I’m home for a few days before I head to Muonio in Finland on Sunday. I’ll stay there until we have a training camp with the elite national teams in Idrefjäll in early November. After that, I’ll go straight back to Muonio and stay there until the Finnish season opener on November 15-16. Then I’ll go home for three days before heading to the season opener at Beitostølen,” she lists.

Last year, you came out of nowhere at Beitostølen and achieved quite a bit afterward. How are you building on that this year?

“Last year was the first time in three years I had a normal training build-up. Until then, I felt I had untapped potential and was finally able to perform near the level I knew I was capable of. I haven’t had any injuries since January, and no long illness breaks either, so I feel like I’m on track.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Muonio now, just skiing at my own pace in peace. I feel very calm there. It’ll also be nice to get the Finnish season opener done before heading to Beitostølen,” says Gulbrandsen, adding:

“The atmosphere at Beitostølen is always very tense, and the early season races are always intense. So, it’ll be good to rip off that band-aid in Muonio and get those races done before we go to Beitostølen.”

What expectations do you have for the season opener at Beitostølen this year, after the incredible sprint performance you had there last year?

“It’s important to manage my expectations. Last year, everything felt ten times better than previous years, so I can’t expect to feel the same way this year. What I achieved there last year is the best I’ve done. If I start at about the same level this year, I’ll be satisfied. But I’ve trained well, and I hope I’ve made some progress this year too,” she says, adding:

“My gut feeling is good right now. But we’ll have a test race at the camp with the elite teams in Idrefjäll the week before the season opener in Muonio, so I should get a good indicator there.”

How important is the opening weekend at Beitostølen for you?

“The goal for the season is primarily to compete in more World Cup races than last winter, and to get there, it’s important to start strong. There’s a lot going on before Christmas.”

Is the World Championships in Trondheim a goal for you?

“There are four spots for the sprint at the World Championships, and there’s a whole season of World Cup races. The goal is to participate in more World Cup races and reach that level. But, of course, if things go well in the World Cup, you might suddenly find yourself at the World Championships too,” she says, pausing briefly.

“The World Championships are more of a dream than a concrete goal. But it’s definitely in the back of my mind and influences everything I do. The sprint at the World Championships will be in freestyle. Up until now, I’ve probably been a bit stronger in classic, so I’ve worked a little extra on skating this year. I’ve done more hard skating sessions, specific speed work, and technique exercises in skating.”

Beitostølen Program

Friday, November 22
– 11:30 CET: Sprint classic, prologue
– 13:00 CET: Sprint classic, finals (para)
– 13:30 CET: Sprint classic, finals (women and men, senior)

Saturday, November 23
– 09:15 CET: Cross-country skiing, 5km para (sitting)
– 10:00 CET: 10km classic, para (standing) and women senior
– 11:30 CET: 10km classic, men senior

Sunday, November 24
– 11:30 CET: 10km freestyle, women senior
– 13:00 CET: 10km freestyle, men senior

More information on courses, team captains meetings, and jury information HERE

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.