He burst into the elite with a bronze at the U23 World Championships and 12th place in his World Cup debut — seemingly out of nowhere. Now the 22-year-old from Norway has leaped the senior ranks.

The 2025 season was one that he barely had time to process. The breakthrough came faster — and more powerfully — than he had imagined.

Over just two weeks in February, Jørgen Schjølberg went from a filler name to the talk of the cross-country skiing community. Now, he has both a World Championship medal and a 12th-place World Cup finish on his résumé.

“It was incredibly cool to race at the U23 World Championships and do so well there. But being selected for the World Cup and getting to debut on an international quota where only six or seven Norwegians get to compete — that was even cooler. The fact that I even made it to the semifinals shows that I have something to do there as well,” says the humble Tynset native to Langrenn.com.

Stumbled into the World Championship team

But the preseason gave little indication that a breakthrough was coming. After a summer marked by illness and a fall that included some overtraining, it was a mix of strategic choices, a bit of luck, and coincidences that even got him to the U23 Worlds.

Still, Schjølberg was among the top three U23 skiers in four of the six qualification races. In two of them, he was the very best, including the 10-kilometer race at the Norwegian Championships at Gåsbu in mid-January. There, he beat every skier from the national elite team — in what was also a selection race for the World Championships in Trondheim.

“That might be the best classic race I’ve ever done,” he says.

With that, Schjølberg secured his spot on the World Championship team, as one of eight men in Norway’s squad for the championship in Schilpario, Italy.

“I hadn’t really considered myself a lock for the U23 Worlds, even though it was a dream goal. So, when I made the team, I had already reached my goal. That I took a medal, became the best Norwegian in the sprint, and placed sixth in the 20-kilometer classic — that was all just a bonus,” he says, adding:

“There were others on that team who had raced a lot of World Cups.”

But at the finish line, it was Schjølberg who stood on the podium, alongside two Swedes.

Everything started moving quickly

Schjølberg didn’t have much time to digest his success in Italy. He had barely returned to Norwegian soil after the championship when the next milestone hit.

“We stayed overnight at Gardermoen on the way home from Worlds. During breakfast at the hotel on Monday morning, (national team coach) Arild Monsen called. He told me I’d been selected for the World Cup sprint in Falun on Friday, so it was just a matter of keeping the wheels turning,” he says.

Wide-eyed in the dining hall

The World Cup debut in Falun was an experience Schjølberg won’t soon forget.

“It was a pretty special feeling to come into the dining hall in national team gear and sit down at the table with all the stars. Thirteen-year-old me would’ve stood there wide-eyed, speechless. But they’re just regular people, talking about normal things, and I felt like I blended in just fine,” he says.

The race itself was also on another level compared to anything he had experienced before, though the Tynset native came to the stadium with a plan to stay calm.

Schjølberg delivered a solid 20th place in the prologue, finished fourth in his quarterfinal heat, but advanced on time. In the semifinal, he faced Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Erik Valnes, Edvin Anger, Jules Chappaz, and Oskar Opstad Vike. That was a bit too much for the rookie, who finished last in the heat and 12th overall.

Was it hard to keep perspective amid a crowd of superstars?

“I tried to treat it like a normal race. And all the way up to the start and during the race, that went well. Even though there were a lot more spectators, you kind of forget that while you’re skiing. But the pace is generally higher, and after the race, everything exploded,” says Schjølberg, and continues:

“I’m used to having mom or dad waiting at the finish with a jacket and some sports drink. Here, there was a ton of media and way more commotion. So, it was kind of nice that the team doctor, Ove Feragen, met me at the finish. He’s almost a neighbor and the father of one of my friends, so when he came over with a jacket and drink, it almost felt like a hometown race in Tynset.”

The rest of the season became a rollercoaster, result-wise. But that wasn’t entirely unexpected, says Schjølberg, pointing to the weak foundation laid during a rough preseason.

Done with kids’ ski races

Schjølberg is now entering his third season with the regional Team Elon Innlandet. So far, everything has gone smoothly, with no illness or significant interruptions in training. Now, he hopes to reach the season opener in better shape than last year.

Also Read: Team Elon Innlandet for season 2025/2026

What are your goals for the upcoming season and in the long run?

“Well, now I’m done with kids’ races and the U23 class. So now it’s just the World Cup and the big championships. But it was nice to see that I actually belong in the World Cup.”

What will it take to get there?

“The season opener at Beitostølen will be important to get into the World Cup before Christmas, especially for those who aren’t on the national team. So, I have nothing to lose by being in good shape there, but I’ll have to beat all the national team skiers to be considered,” says Schjølberg, and adds:

“Making it onto the team for the World Cup opener in Ruka would be the best. It’s been shown that it’s easier to race your way into the World Cup team than to get kicked out of it. And there’s a World Cup classic sprint in Trondheim that I really want to race.”

If the Ruka plan doesn’t work out, Schjølberg can also qualify for the World Cup in Trondheim through the Norwegian Cup at Gålå. The winners there earn a free spot in the corresponding event in Trondheim.

What opportunities will last winter’s achievements open up for you?

“Well, it doesn’t hurt that the national team coaches know my name. And now they’ve seen that when I get a chance, I can deliver.”

Fun fact: Jørgen Schjølberg is a third cousin of both Marit Bjørgen and Anne Kjersti Kalvå.

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