The former Norwegian national team skier is now racing against the clock to be ready for the Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer and the battle for the final Olympic spots.

After a promising start to the season, earning places in the squads for the World Cup opening in Ruka, followed by races in Trondheim and Davos, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth has not had the start to 2026 she was hoping for.

“This is not quite how I wanted 2026 to begin,” the former national team skier told Namdalsavisa.

Stenseth spent Christmas and New Year training at altitude in Seiser Alm and was initially scheduled to race both the classic sprint and the 20km classic at the Scandinavian Cup this past weekend. However, a bout of influenza at a miserable time meant she was unable to start.

The 30-year-old from Grong fell ill on her travel day home on New Year’s Day. Now, a week later, Stenseth is feeling better and is focusing entirely on being in peak form for the sprint at the Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer.

Last chance

The Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer next week represent the final opportunity to secure one of the last four Olympic places on the women’s side.

“The plan is to race at the Norwegian Championships, yes,” says Stenseth, who was dropped from the elite national team last year and is now in her second season of a private training setup.

Now or never

The Norwegian sprint specialist is among the world’s fastest in classic technique, and the classic sprint is on the Olympic program this winter. The next chance would be eight years away.

“At least I won’t be racing then,” Stenseth told Langrenn.com after the sprint in Beitostølen.

There are strong indications that she may retire after the current season. She is also planning to get married.

Strong Olympic candidate

Stenseth has already delivered three strong performances this season.

She opened with third place in the sprint at the season opener in Beitostølen. In the two classic World Cup sprints she has raced, she has been the second-best and third-best Norwegian. In Ruka, only Kristine Stavås Skistad finished ahead of her. In Trondheim, she was beaten only by Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk and Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen.

Skistad was given the green light for the Olympics before Christmas. No additional sprinters were selected in the Olympic squad announced on Tuesday after the Tour de Ski. So far, only four women have been selected: Astrid Øyre Slind and Heidi Weng before Christmas, and Karoline Simpson-Larsen secured her Olympic place this week.

The final Olympic selection will be made after the Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer.

At that point, Aabrekk and Grosberghaugen are expected to be Stenseth’s strongest challengers for an Olympic spot, following Mathilde Myhrvold’s injury during the Tour de Ski.

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