Swedish successes continue at the college level in the USA. During the NCAA Championships, Swedish skiers claimed a total of three podium finishes.

The success of Swedish athletes across the Atlantic shows no signs of stopping. Over the weekend, the NCAA Championships took place in the USA, the most prestigious competition of the season.

To qualify for the NCAA Championships, athletes must earn their spot through several qualification races throughout the season. In total, three Swedish skiers had qualified for the event: Erica Lavén, Tilde Bångman, and Hanna Abrahamsson. The latter two compete for the University of Colorado, while Lavén represents the University of Utah.

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Erica Lavén has had a successful debut season in college skiing, opening the NCAA Championships by winning the 7.5-kilometer classic race. She followed that up with a second-place finish in the 20km mass start in freestyle technique.

There was yet another Swedish podium in the 20-kilometer race, as Tilde Bångman secured third place.

Also Read: Life at College in the USA: “I love my life here”

Many Reactions

When Erica Lavén moved to the USA in August, the reactions were plentiful.

“I’ve received a lot of questions—whether I’m quitting, why I’m going there, if I don’t want to continue pursuing skiing at the highest level. But I’m not surprised. The idea of going to the USA hasn’t really been portrayed in a positive way before,” Erica told Expressen at the time.

“I think I’ll be forgotten. I’m prepared for that. People won’t keep track of what’s happening over here. In a way, it’s a form of mental training for me—to stay under the radar and focus on my own journey. At least for the first year, I don’t feel the need to be remembered back home.”

Also Read: Move to the USA – “I think I will be forgotten”

HERE you can find the race results.