The women’s relay is more open than the men’s. But Sweden won all 6 gold medals in women’s events at last year’s World Championships in Trondheim. And they are the favorites again. 

The longer distance of 7.5km each leg will make it more difficult for the weaker teams to hang on. This means you need four skiers who can keep up with the top teams for 2.5km longer than before to fight for the relay medals. 

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

The start lists can be found HERE

ABOUT SATURDAY’S RACE 

This is the first time the Olympic relay is held over 4×7.5km. It used to be 4x5km, and at the very beginning, there were only three athletes per team. Because of equal gender distances, it has been extended to 7.5km per leg. 

The first two legs are skied in the classic technique, and the last two in the freestyle technique (skating). 

The Soviet Union, and later Russia, has dominated most of the history of the women’s relay. 

But with their team out, other teams have been taking over. Sweden won the World Champs last year, and they have the best team on paper. But in 2023, they were surprisingly beaten by Norway in Planica, so this is more than the names on the paper. Some skiers also get very nervous when they must race for their country and their teammates. They know that an error can cost the whole team a lot. 

Women’s Olympic Champions — 4x5km relay (3x5km 1956-1972) 

• 1956 Finland, (Sirkka Polkunen, Mirja Hietamies, Siiri Rantanan) 
• 1960 Sweden, (Irma Johansson, Britt Strandberg, Sonja Ruthström-Edström) 
• 1964 Soviet Union, (Alevtina Koltsjina, Jevdokija Meksjilo, Klavdija Bojarskikh) 
• 1968 Norway, (Inger Aufles, Babben Enger Damon, Berit Mørdre Lammedal) 
• 1972 Soviet Union, (Ljubov Mukhatsjeva, Alevtina Oljunina, Galina Kulakova) 
• 1976 Soviet Union, (Nina Fjodorova, Zinaida Amosova, Raisa Smetanina, Galina Kulakova) 
• 1980 DDR, (Marlies Rostock, Carola Aning, Veronika Schmidt, Barbara Petzold) 
• 1984 Norway, (Inger Helene Nybråten, Anne Jahren, Brit Pettersen, Berit Aunli) 
• 1988 Soviet Union, (Svetlana Nagejkina, Nina Gavriljuk, Tamara Tikhonova, Anfisa Reztsova) 
• 1992 Russia, (Elena Välbe, Raisa Smetanina, Larisa Lazutina, Ljubov Egorova) 
• 1994 Russia, (Elena Välbe, Larisa Lazutina, Nina Gavriljuk, Ljubov Egorova) 
• 1998 Russia, (Nina Gavriljuk, Olga Danilova, Elena Välbe, Larisa Lazutina) 
• 2002 Germany, (Manuela Henkel, Viola Bauer, Claudia Künzel, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle) 
• 2006 Russia, (Natalia Baranova-Masalkina, Larisa Kurkina, Julia Tchepalova, Evgenija Medvedeva) 
• 2010 Norway, (Vibeke Skofterud, Therese Johaug, Kristin Størmer Steira, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2014 Sweden, (Anna Haag, Ida Ingemarsdotter, Emma Wikén, Charlotte Kalla) 
• 2018 Norway, (Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Ragnhild Haga, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2022 Russia, (Julia Stupak, Natalia Nepryaeva, Tatiana Sorina, Veronika Stepanova) 

World Champions women’s relay (3x5km 1954-1970, 4x5km 1974-2023, 4×7.5km 2025–) 

• 1954 Soviet Union, (Ljubov Kozyreva, Margarita Maslennikova, Valentina Tsareva) 
• 1958 Soviet Union, (Radja Eroshina, Alevtina Koltsjina, Ljubov Kozyreva) 
• 1962 Soviet Union, (Ljubov Baranova, Maria Gusakova, Alevtina Koltsjina) 
• 1966 Soviet Union, (Klavdija Bojarskikh, Rita Atsjkina, Alevtina Koltsjina) 
• 1970 Soviet Union, (Nina Fjodorova, Galina Kulakova, Alevtna Oljunina) 
• 1974 Soviet Union, (Nina Fjordorova, Nina Seljunina, Raisa Smetanina, Galina Kulakova) 
• 1978 Finland, (Taina Impiö, Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen, Hilkka Riihivuori, Helena Takalo) 
• 1982 Norway, (Anette Bøe, Inger Helene Nybråten, Berit Aunli, Brit Pettersen) 
• 1985 Soviet Union, (Tamara Tikhonova, Raisa Smetanina, Lilia Vassiltsjenko, Anfisa Reztsova) 
• 1987 Finland, (Pirkko Määttä, Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi, Jaana Savolainen, Marjo Matikainen) 
• 1991 Soviet Union, (Ljubov Egorova, Raisa Smetanina, Tamara Tikhonova, Elena Välbe) 
• 1993 Russia, (Elena Välbe, Larisa Lazutina, Nina Gavriljuk, Ljubov Egorova) 
• 1995 Russia, (Olga Danilova, Elena Välbe, Larisa Lazutina, Nina Gavriljuk) 
• 1997 Russia, (Olga Danilova, Larisa Lazutina, Nina Gavriljuk, Elena Välbe) 
• 1999 Russia, (Olga Danilova, Larisa Lazutina, Anfisa Reztsova, Nina Gavriljuk) 
• 2001 Russia, (Olga Danilova, Larisa Lazutina, Julia Tchepalova, Nina Gavriljuk) 
• 2003 Germany, (Manuela Henkel, Viola Bauer, Claudia Künzel, Evi Sachenbacher) 
• 2005 Norway, (Vibeke Skofterud, Hilde G. Pedersen, Kristin Størmer Steira, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2007 Finland, (Virpi Kuitunen, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, Riitta-Liisa Roponen, Pirjo Manninen) 
• 2009 Finland, (Pirjo Muranen, Virpi Kuitunen, Riitta-Liisa Roponen, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen) 
• 2011 Norway, (Vibeke Skofterud, Therese Johaug, Kristin Størmer Steira, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2013 Norway, (Heidi Weng, Therese Johaug, Kristin Størmer Steira, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2015 Norway, (Heidi Weng, Therese Johaug, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2017 Norway, (Maiken Caspersen Falla, Heidi Weng, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Marit Bjørgen) 
• 2019 Sweden, (Ebba Andersson, Frida Karlsson, Charlotte Kalla, Stina Nilsson) 
• 2021 Norway, (Tiril Udnes Weng, Heidi Weng, Therese Johaug, Helene Marie Fossesholm) 
• 2023 Norway, (Tiril Udnes Weng, Astrid Øyre Slind, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, Anne Kjersti Kalvå) 
• 2025 Sweden, (Emma Ribom, Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson, Jonna Sundling) 

FAVORITES 

Sweden 

Four strong skiers. It’s been a fight to take a place in the team, something that always increases the strength of the whole team. They have the best anchor in Jonna Sundling, who knows she can beat anybody in a sprint. The question mark is whether distance stars Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson are strong enough to give Sundling a gap. 

Norway 

Tradition and depth among good skiers are the strong points of the Norwegian team. But Therese Johaug is gone, and she is hard to replace. They don’t have a natural anchor like Sundling for Sweden. A medal is probably very much possible, but gold will be a surprise this time. 

Finland 

Very strong classic skiers, like always. Johanna Matintalo is boosted after finally winning her first World Cup in Goms just before the Games. But Finland has also struggled to find skiers strong enough in skating. It will probably be at the top for a long time. But can they finish it off with a medal? 

OUTSIDERS 

Germany 

Have popped up from time to time. They even took the gold in Salt Lake City back in 2002. Coletta Rydzek is a very fast finisher and a good card to play. Laura Gimmler has been on the podium this Winter. But the Germans would probably have been better with 4x5km. Some of their skiers are more sprinters. 

USA 

With Jessie Diggins racing with her heart outside the suit, very few will follow her on 7.5km skating. The question is how her three teammates will race. We have seen some good results from some of them, but they all must be better than earlier this Winter if it’s going to be a medal. 

Switzerland 

Surprised several people with their results at last year’s World Champs in Trondheim. The whole team has stepped up a level, and the youngsters are now good enough to follow the leading group here, of course, depending on how hard the pace will be. Like neighbor Germany, 4x5km would have been better than 4×7.5km. 

You will find the start list HERE 

Cross-country skiing schedule – Olympics 2026

Saturday, February 7: 20km Skiathlon C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women

Sunday, February 8: 20km Skiathlon C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:55 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 12:15 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Thursday, February 12: 10km Interval Start F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval F, Women

Friday, February 13: 10km Interval Start F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:45 CET: 10km Interval F, Men

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

Sunday, February 15: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Team Sprint Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Women
• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Men
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Women
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Men

Saturday, February 21: 50km Mass Start C Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Men

Sunday, February 22: 50km Mass Start C Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Val di Fiemme, a classic Nordic skiing venue, promises thrilling racing on courses steeped in Olympic history. Fans around the World will have the chance to cheer on athletes across all distances, from explosive sprints to grueling marathons.

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

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site. Also, live streaming of Ski Classics events with English commentaries is available.

When you become part of one of the World’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.

REGISTER HERE AS A MEMBER