Meet the young Russian who put an end Norway’s 12-year winning streak in the women’s relay Norway’s relay team may have been the best in the world on paper, and the last time Norway was beat in the relay was in 2009. But on Sunday, Norway was defeated on home turf. Not by one, but by two…

Meet the young Russian who put an end Norway’s 12-year winning streak in the women’s relay

Norway’s relay team may have been the best in the world on paper, and the last time Norway was beat in the relay was in 2009. But on Sunday, Norway was defeated on home turf. Not by one, but by two teams. The blow is harsh, and will be heavy to digest.

Prior to the relay, Sweden in second place was considered the toughest competitors. But at the end of the day, Russia was on the top of the podium after 20-year-old Veronika Stepanova anchored her team to victory with an impressive sprint finish. 

The talented young racer from Kamchatka far east in Russia, is one the country’s most promising cross-country skiers. Last season, she won the gold medal in the 5-kilomter at the FIS Junior World Championships, and has been among the top-ranked juniors in the country for several years. 

The relay this weekend was her first at the World Cup level, but Stepanova wasn’t particularly nervous.

“I’m very rarely worried. For me, this was very similar to what I experienced as a junior,” she says to Match TV after the cut-throat run for the relay victory in Lillehammer.

“Everything went as planned. I didn’t watch the race before I started. I warmed up, then the coach and I went through all the possible scenarios in advance. That way, I was ready for anything, both mentally and physically,” says Stepanova, adding that her coach gave her a quick pep-talk before she walked to the exchange zone for the anchor leg. 

“Before the race, Yegor Sorin (my coach) told me to think about the anthem and the Russian flag at the finish line. And I remembered it. I really gave everything for my team and for my country. It was a great day.”

Stepanova explains that the relay victory is the result of a long-term, focused effort by the Russian Ski Federation. 

“Today’s victory is the result of the work put in place by our cross-country ski federation. It all starts in the districts, then the territories, the regions and finally on the national team level. This system prepares athletes for the future,” she says.  

PS: Earlier this season, Stepanova spoke up in the ongoing debate over the prevalence of eating disorders in cross-country skiing, saying that in Russia, weight is not a taboo, but a topic that is openly discussed among coaches and skiers.