In October, Didrik Tønseth was so unwell that he feared his World Championships dreams were over. Ahead of the Norwegian season premiere, the 33-year-old is cautiously optimistic. But where does he really stand now?

“It’s getting better day by day now. And it’s about time, as I don’t have much time left,” Didrik Tønseth told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site Langrenn.com with measured optimism during the Norwegian national team’s final training camp before the season premiere in Beitostølen.

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Since late September, the Norwegian national team veteran has been battling mycoplasma. The illness can manifest differently, but for Tønseth, it lingered for several weeks.

The 33-year-old is still dealing with a cough, and tests show there is lingering irritation in his lungs. Nevertheless, he is much more optimistic than he was just a few weeks ago, even though he admits that his preparation for the World Championships season has been far from ideal.

“I’m not going into the season with a lot of confidence. But I can train, and I’ve joined the training camp with my teammates and seen where the bar is set,” says Tønseth.

Weeks of Coughing

It was after the September training camp in Torsby that Tønseth fell ill. First, he had a high fever, and then he became severely sick, bedridden for ten days.

It turned out he had mycoplasma, a bacterial respiratory infection that causes symptoms like fever, prolonged coughing, and bronchitis, and can lead to pneumonia.

“For me, it was three days of high fever as the only symptom, and then you get a cough that sets into your lungs. That’s where it hits hardest. But then there’s the cough—it can last anywhere from a week to a hundred days, I’ve heard. I hope I’m somewhere in between, but I’m still struggling a bit with it,” Tønseth told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site Langrenn.com.

Despite this, his plan is to compete in both distance races at the season premiere in Beitostølen this weekend. It’s crucial for achieving his goal of securing a spot on the Norwegian team for the World Championships on home soil in Trondheim.

A Tough Start

To secure one of the 12 spots for the World Championships, Tønseth must perform well in selection races. There aren’t many of them, and much will be decided before New Year’s. The Norwegian Championships (NM) in January is the last chance.

“You have to ski fast at Beito to make it to (the World Cup premiere) in Ruka, you have to ski fast in Ruka to qualify for the World Championships, and you have to ski fast in Ruka to qualify for the World Cup in Lillehammer, and… you have to ski fast every weekend from the start to make it to the World Championships,” says Tønseth.

Skiathlon and the 50km

Initially, Tønseth suggested that the 10km classic might be his best chance at the World Championships. Now, he has changed his mind.

“If everything goes according to plan and I make the WC team, I hope to compete in the skiathlon and the 50km, with the 10km classic as a bonus,” he says.

And if Tønseth makes it to the World Championships in Trondheim, he believes it will be the greatest experience of his career.

“Until now, the biggest thing I’ve achieved was the World Championships in Falun 2015, but I hope Trondheim can deliver an event that surpasses that.”

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