Anton Persson has just concluded his career. He is now the coach for the training group Skidbryggan, which is attracting more and more skiers.

Anton Persson ended his career after the Ski Classics season finale in Bardufoss. He had planned to compete in the Swedish Championships 50km at Idre Fjäll, but that plan fell through due to a cold.

“It feels good, but unfortunately, I had a really disappointing ending. It was really frustrating not to get that closure in some way,” Anton Persson told Langd.se.

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Interest has grown significantly

In recent years, he has been part of the coaching team for the relatively newly established training group Skidbryggan in Falun. This is a role Anton will continue to develop alongside Jesper Arnesson. They have witnessed a surge in interest that can almost be described as explosive.

“We had 15 active members this year, and now we have received 31 applications so far. It’s exciting to see such an explosion. It really shows that there is a need.”

The training group is a mix of older juniors and younger seniors. Among the 15 active members, about 10 had coaching support. Additionally, they have collaborated with Hagströmska (the ski high school in Falun) and DSA.

“It has gone well overall. It has been very complex to build something like this from the ground up. We have really tried to establish a structure and a culture within the group.”

Sweden is falling behind

Anton Persson has competed internationally in both traditional cross-country skiing and Ski Classics. He has seen many teammates and friends come and go. He believes that training groups below the national team level are something that is lacking in Sweden.

“It is definitely something that is missing and something we don’t have much of in Sweden. In Norway, they are miles ahead of us. They have training groups, teams, and initiatives that capture the breadth of the sport in a way that we do not in Sweden,” he says, adding:

“The high demand we have is partly because we have done well. But there is a huge interest, and many people need this service.”

Sports will remain a big part of life

Working with Skidbryggan will be a part of Anton’s daily life moving forward. However, it is likely not to be his only involvement in sports.

“I am open to many suggestions. I have said that I want to stay in sports for at least another year. It feels like I can step in and contribute where I am in life. The knowledge is fresh, and I am in good shape.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of the coaching role?

“What has been seen time and again is that engagement is the key and the most important thing. I have been fortunate to have Mattias Nilsson as a coach, and also Lina Korsgren in recent years at Ramudden. I have learned an incredible amount from them.”

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