The World Championships 2025 continues this Thursday in Trondheim, Norway, with the sprint in freestyle technique for both women and men. Who will win gold?

Trondheim World Championships – Sprint Women

Sweden has a solid women’s sprint team. Jonna Sundling is going for her third straight gold in the sprint, and behind her, you have top names like Dahlqvist, Svahn, Hagström, and Ribom.

Will it be a fight between the Swedish skiers and Norway’s sprint star Kristine Stavaas Skistad for the women’s first gold at Trondheim?

About the Sprint

The sprint is divided into two. First a prologue – or qualification – with the athletes starting one by one. The starting interval is only 15 seconds, with the best-ranked racers first.

The course is the same as in the heats later in the day. The 30 best times from the prologue move on to the quarterfinals.

After the prologue, the skiers choose their quarter-final. The number 11 in the prologue is choosing first. Then they continue down to number 1 and after that from the 12th up to the 30th.

There are five quarterfinals, with six athletes in each. The two best in each heat go automatically to the semifinals. Added to that are two “lucky losers,” the two best times of the skiers not finishing in the top 2 in their quarterfinals.

The semifinals are run the same way. The two best go on, plus the two best times outside that. We will then end up with six athletes in the final. The first one to cross the line here is the winner of the gold medal, the second takes silver, and the third is bronze.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS IN SPRINT

• 2001    Pirjo Manninen, Finland
• 2003    Marit Bjørgen, Norway
• 2005    Emelie Öhrstig, Sweden
• 2007    Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Norway
• 2009    Arianna Follis, Italy
• 2011    Marit Bjørgen, Norway
• 2013    Marit Bjørgen, Norway
• 2015    Marit Bjørgen, Norway
• 2017    Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway
• 2019    Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway
• 2021    Jonna Sundling, Sweden
• 2023    Jonna Sundling, Sweden

FAVORITES

Jonna Sundling, Sweden

Chasing a hat trick for WCH-gold in the sprint. She has impressed most of all this season. Sundling has chosen a long training period without races building up to Trondheim. Left out the last races in Falun. She probably needs a gap on Skistad before the final straight.

Kristine Stavaas Skistad, Norway

Extremely quick on the flat. Nobody is quicker in the start or at a flat final straight. The challenge is to follow in the hardest uphills. It will probably be Skistad versus the Swedish team where you have several options. The Norwegian was outstanding at the end of last season, but she has done fewer competitions this Winter due to surgery earlier on.

Linn Svahn, Sweden*

Came back in Falun and won directly after having been away most of the season. Svahn is strong enough to dominate a sprint and in Falun she beated Skistad. That has shown her that gold is possible. But Linn Svahn doesn’t have the best memories from the tracks at Granåsen. Even though she is a clear candidate for the medals.

*A few hours before the Sprint start, FIS informed that Linn Svahn was substituted by Märta Rosenberg, due to injury and will not start.

OUTSIDERS

Maja Dahlqvist, Sweden

May be the one who is closest to challenge Skistad on the final straight. Also, one of the contenders with the most experience. Dahlqvist moved to Trondheim to prepare for the championships, so she is very aware of what is waiting. She is another medal candidate for Sweden here.

Johanna Hagström, Sweden

Finally got her first victory on the World Cup in Ruka. But that was in classic. Hagström is often racing very strong prologues, but she has had difficulties to maintain the level all the way to the final. But the Swedes can lift as a team when everybody is good enough for the final.

Jasmi Joensuu, Finland

The leader of the Sprint World cup without having won one single race this season. But Joensuu has been in five finals, and she has 2nd as her best. May be wishing for too much to think that her first victory will come in the World Championships, but she is one of the most consistent sprinters.

Nadine Fähndrich, Switzerland

One classic sprint win from Tour de Ski and now a runner-up twice in Cogne and Falun, those also in classic. But the Swiss has also been on the podium in skating in Toblach and she is good in both styles. Fähndrich has showed improved form during the season but might be tough against the Scandinavians.

Jessica Diggins, USA

The World cup leader cannot be written off at any distance. Won the skating sprint in Toblach during the Tour de Ski and nobody is racing with their heart like Diggins. May be a bigger favorite on the longer distances but is to be counted among the top contenders also here.

Julie Myhre, Norway

Started the season on a total different level than earlier. Three straight podiums at the World Cup. But since then, it hasn’t been that easy. Myhre is in her hometown and has the advantage of competing in her own training tracks. Unsure if it’s good enough for a medal, but the final should be a nice goal.

Emma Ribom, Sweden

The World’s best sprinter at the beginning of last season, but Ribom hasn’t been that good this Winter. She has been looking for her form since the first races and it will be exciting to see if she finds it for the Worlds. Because at her best she is totally on the level of the other medal contenders.

START LIST

The start list can be found HERE

The 2025 World Championships continues this Thursday in Trondheim, Norway. Here is the complete competition program, with the start lists and start times for the sprint in freestyle technique.

See below the complete program for the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway.

FACTS 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships

• When: Wednesday, February 26, to Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Trondheim, Norway
• What: FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025

Wednesday, February 26 (More information HERE)

• 13:30 CET: Qualification, 7.5km Classic, Women
• 15:30 CET: Qualification, 7.5km Classic, Men

Thursday, February 27 (More information HERE)

• 10:00 CET: Sprint Qualification Freestyle, Women
• 10:52 CET: Sprint Qualification Freestyle, Men
• 12:30 CET: Sprint Finals Freestyle, Women
• 12:30 CET: Sprint Finals Freestyle, Men

Saturday, March 1 (More information HERE)

• 14:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Men

Sunday, March 2 (More information HERE)

• 14:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Women

Tuesday, March 4 (More information HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 15:30 CET: 10km Interval Start Classic – Women

Wednesday, March 5 (More information HERE)

• 11:00 CET: Team Sprint Qualification Classic, Women
• 11:00 CET: Team Sprint Qualification Classic, Men
• 14:30 CET: Team Sprint Classic, Women
• 14:30 CET: Team Sprint Classic, Men

Thursday, March 6 (More information HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 4×7.5km Relay Classic/Freestyle, Men

Friday, March 7 (More information HERE)

• 14:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay Classic/Freestyle, Women

Saturday, March 8 (More information HERE)

• 11:30 CET: 50km Mass Start Freestyle, Men

Sunday, March 9 (More information HERE)

• 11:30 CET: 50km Mass Start Freestyle, Women

PROGRAM (traditional cross-country skiing program) 

Also Read: Cross-country skiing program for the Trondheim World Championships

The Nordic World Ski Championships is taking place in Trondheim, Norway, from February 26 to March 9, 2025. It promises to be the largest sporting event in Norway in 15 years, with more than 300.000 spectators expected to attend. 

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