Six races in seven days, and nine races in 15 days: Ski stars barely had time to wash their clothes after the last race at the World Cup finals in Falun before they had to compete for medals in the Swedish Championships already on Wednesday.

The race schedule is taking a toll on the athletes. Both Swedish and Norwegian skiers agree, according to Langrenn.com.

“I hurt everywhere,” said Linn Svahn during last weekend’s Swedish Championships in Boden, Northern Sweden.

The World Cup Finals in Falun marked the end of an intensive international season, with a total of 37 races between November 24, 2023, and March 17, 2024. The day after the last race in Falun, athletes had to drive 850km, spending 10 hours in the car. Then they had exactly one day for course training before the first race in the Swedish Championships, which started already last Wednesday.

“It hurts so much. My whole body hurts now, and it’s so hard to push out that little extra. Now, it’s just too much,” says Emma Ribom to Expressen.

She had just completed three races in a row in the Swedish Championships. In Wednesday’s 20-kilometer mass start, she felt reasonably recovered. Friday’s 10-kilometer race was a different story. It’s evident in Ribom’s eyes that she is tired now.

Behind her, Linn Svahn staggers with a fresh Swedish Championships bronze.

“I hurt everywhere. I’m so tired,” says Linn Svahn.

Is your body starting to give up now?

“Yes. And my mind.”

The article continues below.

“It’s Almost Unreasonable”

Svahn and many other cross-country skiers have just completed eight races in 14 days: first, six World Cup races where the 50-kilometer race in Holmenkollen was the first, then the city sprint in Drammen three days later, followed by the three World Cup races in Falun on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Three days later, the Swedish Championships began on Wednesday. There awaited a total of six races: First, a 20km freestyle mass start, team sprints, and a 10km classic individual race, followed by a rest day and then three consecutive races: sprint on Sunday, relays on Monday, and the 30km/50km race on Tuesday.

“It’s almost unreasonable, and it’s being felt now. Just halfway into the Swedish Championships, many negative thoughts came up during the race,” says Ribom.

At the same time, the ski stars emphasize that they prioritize the Swedish Championships and appreciate that it’s scheduled after the season and condensed into one block.

“I greatly appreciate that the Swedish Championships are scheduled after the World Cup season. Then there’s no holding back. We show up and get a chance to be out with our club and compete in their colors,” says Ebba Andersson to Expressen.

Norwegian Skiers: Heavy

Norwegian skiers also admit they are tired after a long season. The second part of the Norwegian Championships didn’t start until Thursday, and for those who participated in all events there, there were “only” three races waiting in Lillehammer. But when the 30km and 50km races were over on Saturday, so was the Norwegian Championships.

“The only reason I did the 50km in the Norwegian Championships is that there will be a 50km in the World Championships next year,” said Johannes Høsflot Klæbo to Langrenn.com after the brutal race during the second part of the Norwegian Championships in Lillehammer on Saturday.

“I wanted to quit after 70 meters,” said Sindre Bjørnestad Skar.

The national team skier finished the 50km race but came in 43^rd place.

The first part of the Norwegian Championships took place at the end of February, just days after the skiers returned from two weeks of World Cup races in North America and a week before the last period of the World Cup began. The championship events at Beitostølen also bore the mark: Many of the top World Cup skiers chose to skip the first part of the Norwegian Championships to recover and prepare for the last World Cup period.