“It is probably a bit of a coincidence that we are in Sweden and the Swedish team is in Norway on a camp. But we are here in Torsby once a year. It’s excellent,” says Norwegian sprint coach Arild Monsen to Langd.se.

The sun shines over Torsby, where the Norwegian men’s sprint and distance national team is on a training camp. Yesterday morning, they were training in the ski tunnel, and in the afternoon, some athletes had a hill training test at Hovfjället while other skiers went for a run in the Värmland landscape.

Arild Monsen was a coach in the Swedish national team for four years (2009-2013). Now, he is a sprint coach in the Norwegian team.

Interesting is that the Swedish sprint team is currently in a training camp in Meråker, Norway:

“We have seen during the year that, for example, the German and Italian national teams are in training camps in Norway and here in Torsby. And you look for new places to be. It is probably a coincidence that we are in Sweden, and the Swedish team is in Norway on a camp. But we come here once a year. There are training facilities here that are exceptionally good, so we would love to come here, says Arild Monsen.

The Norwegian team arrived in Värmland on Sunday and will stay for a week.

Next winter, there are no major championships. Does this mean any changes in the training plan for the season?

“Not really. But there are lots of good and nice competitions this winter. So, I would say that there will be more competitions than we normally do, which the skiers think is good. I think the Tour de Ski will get extra focus from many, and all the best must be there. So, it is very positive,” says Monsen.

You were a coach in Sweden for four years. Is there any difference in the training culture between the countries?

“No big differences. But the difference is that the ‘bubble’ regarding how many people venture in Norway is bigger than in Sweden. The recruitment base is huge. But there are exciting names elsewhere in Sweden as well. Myhlback will be exciting. He is truly a man for the future,” says Arild Monsen.

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