Kristine Stavås Skistad will miss the season opener in Beitostølen due to surgery. 

Skistad will not start in Beitostølen, Norway, the traditional Norwegian season opener. The reason is that on Friday, November 8, she underwent abdominal surgery.

Due to this surgery, she is now forced to withdraw from all competitions indefinitely. This was announced by the Norwegian National Team in a press release.

“The surgery went according to plan, and Kristine is now looking forward to this year’s main event, the World Championships in Trondheim. She will spend the coming weeks on rehabilitation and training. She will return to competing when she is ready,” said Norwegian Ski Association doctor Ove Feragen.

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Feragen told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site, Langrenn.com, that it was an urgent operation, but he did not want to go into detail about the type of procedure involved.

How long does it typically take to recover from this type of surgery?

“For the first two weeks, she must take it very easy. But after three weeks, she can gradually start training again, and the hope is that she can return to regular training after four to five weeks. However, it will depend on how she responds along the way,” says Feragen.

The doctor is currently not worried about the World Championships.

“If everything goes as expected, she has plenty of time to prepare for the World Championships. We are making a plan to ensure she will be in her best shape for the World Championships,” he says.

One of the Favorites for World Championship Gold

Kristine Stavås Skistad is known as a top sprinter. Last winter, she achieved five victories and was on the podium in 11 of the 12 World Cup sprints she competed in, making her a firm favorite for the sprint gold at the World Championships in Trondheim in March.

However, veteran coach Steinar Mundal now believes she will also win the 20-kilometer skiathlon at the World Championships in Norway.

However, the Norwegian season opener at Beitostølen will undoubtedly proceed without the Norwegian star.

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