Among the youngest in the field, coached by her mother – and stormed to gold and silver at the Junior Roller Ski World Championships. Now the Norwegian talent has her sights set on the world elite.

On Friday, she battled her way to a silver medal in the team sprint after a tight finish against the Swedish junior skiers, who dominated this year’s Junior Roller Ski World Championships in Madona, Latvia. On Saturday, the 17-year-old from Kongsvinger struck back with authority in the sprint and claimed her first career World Championship gold.

“My goal was to reach the final and take it from there,” Emilie Ruud Lia says modestly to Langrenn.com.

Now she’s a Junior World Champion, finished as the top Norwegian at the championship, and is ranked second overall in the roller skiing World Cup standings.

Also Read: Emilie Ruud Lia sprint winner at the Madona Junior Roller Ski World Championships 2025

In addition to her gold in the sprint and silver in the team sprint, Ruud Lia placed sixth in the 10 km classic and 13th in the mass start skating event.

“I think I had a chance to medal in the skate race on Sunday too, but I crashed early on. That pretty much ended the race for me,” explains Lia, who came away from the crash with only scrapes and a scare.

How does it feel to be a World Champion?

“It felt really good that my body responded so well, and it was especially fun to win gold. It’s rewarding to see the results of all the hard work. It means an incredible amount to me – and to the support team around me, especially my mom.”

This year’s Junior World Championships in Madona marked her second championship appearance for Norway. Last year, she brought home two bronze medals and a fourth place from the roller skiing World Championships in Italy, competing against athletes several years older than her.

“I was hoping to improve on last year. But everything has to click when it matters, so it’s extra fun when it actually does,” says Ruud Lia.

A Winning Mindset

But the Norwegian talent is just as strong on snow as she is on wheels. In her first season as a junior, she claimed three Norwegian championship silver medals: first in sprint, then in the 7.5 km classic, and the 5 km freestyle. She also notched a win in the Norwegian Cup.

The sports director at Wang Toppidrett School in Hamar, where Ruud Lia has been a student since last fall, is in awe of her.

“I’ve never seen a new student so dedicated and serious about what needs to be done,” Martin Flismyren tells Glomdalen, and adds:
“She has a fierce competitive mindset and trains smart.”

Ruud Lia is setting the bar high — both short and long term.

“For the winter season, my goal is to top the results lists. Long term, I want to become one of the world’s best skiers and compete at the top level in major international races.”

She hopes that her World Championship gold will help smooth her path to the top — especially financially.

“I’m not sure what opportunities might open up after the World Championships. I hope more people notice my results, and that sponsors might show interest in supporting my roller ski travel. It does get quite expensive in the long run,” she says.

Coached by Mom

Now Ruud Lia is ready for her second junior season and her second year at Wang Toppidrett in Hamar. And it’s no coincidence she chose that school. For her, flexibility was a key factor.

“It’s about both chemistry with the coaches and the flexibility we’re given,” she explains.

“At Wang, we’re free to set up our training the way we want, and there’s no pressure to change what’s already been working. That allows me to keep building on what I feel works best, instead of being forced into a new program.”

Her mother, Christina Ruud, is a central figure in that equation.

“Mom has always been in charge of my training. And now I get to continue with the setup we’ve been using the past few years. It’s been working really well.”

A Trend of Parent-Coaches

The 17-year-old from Kongsvinger isn’t the only athlete to rely on a parent as a coach.

World Champion Ebba Andersson has had her father as coach and manager for years. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has his father, Haakon Klæbo, as his manager, and his grandfather, Kåre Høsflot, as head coach.

Biathlete Karoline Knotten, who lost her spot on the national team this spring, has recruited her mother as her new coach.

For biathlon siblings Emilie and Kasper Kalkenberg, it’s their father who oversees their training plans.

Helene Marie Fossesholm and her father Øivind have been a “dream team” throughout her junior career. He’s now back in the coaching role and played a key part in her impressive comeback this winter.

Balanced Load – with Some Increases

In short, Ruud Lia’s training plan is about keeping a consistent load throughout the year.

“I know a lot of people train in blocks, with heavy volume phases or intense periods. But I like to keep things simple,” she says.

Her standard routine includes two to three high-intensity sessions per week, a couple of long easy sessions, and a total training volume between 13 and 20 hours weekly. For the coming season, she’ll focus on capacity and technique — and likely increase her total volume a bit.

Wang’s sports director is optimistic.

“Emilie has everything it takes to become as good as she wants,” says Martin Flismyren.

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