At the start of the critical autumn preparations, the Norwegian cross-country skier Sjur Røthe struggles with poor form without knowing why.

Nordic World Championships 2023 was supposed to be revenge for Sjur Røthe after a disappointing Winter Olympics in Beijing and World Championships in 2021.

But the build-up to the World Championships season has not been promising for the 34-year-old. Illness and poor form have characterized Røthe’s summer. 

Tests and medical examinations provide neither comfort nor answers. The national team veteran doesn’t like that. The Norwegian was registered for Blinkfestivalen at the beginning of August but did not start. Røthe also did not participate at Toppidrettsveka with the remaining national team last week. His shape is so poor that he does not see the point in participating in competitions.  

“I have no control over where I stand,” says Røthe to VG. 

At the autumn’s first national team training camp, which took place in Steinkjer with the national sprint team and the recruit national team in mid-August, he was beaten by his colleagues in practically every session.

That also worries national team coach Eirik Myhr Nossum. During the team’s first training camp after the holidays, Nossum concludes that all but one of the distance skiers are well on track for the start of the season and the World Championships 2023. The exception is Røthe. 

“Then we have Sjur, who is nowhere near the top score. It doesn’t flow, and then you wonder why things are the way they are. It doesn’t just apply to him, but to everyone in a situation like that. They are looking for an explanation,” says Nossum to VG.

New Month With Blank Pages

Now Sjur Røthe and his colleagues are ready for a new training camp, this time at Sjusjøen and then only with the national distance team. 

There are still almost three months until the start of the season at Beitostølen at the end of November and five months until the World Championships in Planica, at the end of February beginning of March.