It’s been challenging to get all the pieces in place, but now everything is falling into place as the season approaches at Beitostølen.

And Finn Hågen Krogh hasn’t given up on his World Championship dream. The relay hero from Lahti 2017 wants to return!

After losing his national team spot, Finn Hågen Krogh has found a home with Team Elon Nord-Norge. But as we move into November and the season opener draws near, there has been a bit of a financial crisis within the team.

It was only this week that Team Elon Nord-Norge was able to present its athletes. This also confirmed that the northernmost development team is ready for the season start.
“Finances have been a central theme over the past 12 months, and many stones have been turned to get to where we are today. Now we look forward to the season start where the focus around the team can shift more to the sporting side,” says Per Oskar Andersen, head of the team’s steering group, to iFinnmark.

Aiming for the World Championship Sprint

Finn Hågen Krogh is the veteran of the team and, strictly speaking, doesn’t belong on a development team. But the 34-year-old from Tverrelvdalen still holds his World Championship dream close and strong.

“I want to compete in several events at the World Championships, but my main focus is on the freestyle sprint. It’s a discipline that suits me well,” says Krogh, according to the local newspaper in Finnmark.

He became a major hero when he held off a charging Sergei Ustiugov on the final leg of the World Championship relay in Lahti in 2017. Since then, things have been tougher for Finnmark’s top cross-country skier, who has lost his regular national team spot.

It could have been another crisis this year. Long distances, expensive travel, and rising costs have posed challenges for the team.

“It’s great that it’s finally official that we have the team in place. The whole gang is ready to take off this winter, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s contributed to making this possible,” Krogh says of the plan is now in place.

Strong Team from the North

iFinnmark writes that the leaders of the ski districts in Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark signed a new collaboration agreement for the team this week, giving the green light for the team to be presented for the upcoming season.

In addition to Krogh, the team consists of Johan Nordeng, Ingeborg Stenersen, Tone Lise Pedersen, Marie Amundsen, Jardar Olsen, and Preben Horven.
Nils Magnus Bøen Grave has joined as a coach for the World Championship season, replacing Kristian Skogstad.

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