“There are many other countries that ask and wonder why Norway is so good. But there’s no hocus pocus — it’s about conservative training and keeping things very simple.” The acting national team manager highlights the team environment as another key factor behind Norway’s dominance in cross-country skiing.

What is the secret behind the Norwegian national team?

Acting national team manager Per Elias Kalfoss often gets that question from other nations.

And it’s not hard to understand why: Norway claimed 40 percent of all top-10 finishes last season, and many other countries are getting tired of seeing mostly Norwegian flags at the top of the result lists — especially on the men’s side.

“But we keep things very simple. We train conservatively. And several of our best skiers show an exceptionally high level in many areas.”

Kalfoss points to performances in both running and cycling, where several national team skiers have reached levels comparable to those of top athletes in those sports.

Focusing more on altitude

“But we must dare to make tough decisions. After the 2027 World Championships in Falun, there will be two championships at altitude, and we will focus more on altitude training. We need to bring back old expertise and rely on the experience and knowledge from Olympiatoppen,” says Kalfoss.

The Norwegian men have been utterly dominant in recent seasons, while the women have struggled a bit more against the Swedes. However, Kalfoss believes Norway has made a smart move that will pay off.

“With Marit Bjørgen, we’ve strengthened our competence on the women’s side. We’re already seeing results, but it’s not something that happens overnight. The process will bear fruit.”

Also Read: Dramatic cuts – Norwegian national teams spared

Investing in the Elon teams

With the junior and development teams shut down, the cross-country leadership will now invest more in the Elon teams.

Several athletes have already declined to join, and while participation is quite expensive, Kalfoss says that’s not the main reason.

“No, we had a meeting with the athletes who chose not to join the Elon setup. For most of them, the reasons were sporting. Many have moved to private teams, and that’s obviously a challenge for us. We have to be so good that we’re an equally attractive alternative.”

The ski association now wants to increase funding for the Elon teams, but as everyone knows, the financial situation is complicated.

“We must prioritize”

“We have to prioritize today. Our goal is to be the best, and we’ve laid out a four-point plan toward 2030,” says cross-country director Cathrine Instebø.

“We want to give more people the opportunity to experience the joy of skiing. We’re also launching a recruitment program in the clubs, and we’re taking concrete steps to retain volunteers.”

Instebø also emphasizes the importance of creating performance levels, increasing commercial value, and strengthening skiing’s position as Norway’s national sport.

“We’re still attractive for sponsors, but we have to compensate for rising costs, and that means we also need to increase revenues. Therefore, it’s important to have strong profiles.”

“We need to create excitement and entertainment. The next four years will bring world championships every season, so it’s an important period,” Instebø adds.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you gain full access to all site content and live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events, featuring English commentary.

When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive numerous exclusive offers throughout the year. 

REGISTER HERE AS A MEMBER