The Norwegian males’s velocity crew has captured over a 3rd of the World Cup velocity self-discipline globes up to now 20 years, together with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde’s three globes throughout the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, no Norwegian males began this 12 months within the World Cup Finals’ super-G and downhill occasions. Ski Racing Media appears on the small however mighty crew, together with what Aamodt Kilde and Mikaela Shiffrin mentioned throughout the World Cup Finals about his restoration from critical accidents.
It’s arduous to say who lit up their environment probably the most: the Attacking Vikings’ crew cornerstone Aamodt Kilde, girlfriend and powerhouse racer Shiffrin, or the solar beaming down on Saalbach-Hinterglemm earlier than the ultimate ladies’s downhill competitors of the 2024 season.
Aamodt Kilde has undergone a number of rounds of surgical procedure, a sophisticated therapeutic course of and difficult rehabilitation coaching, which has lastly enabled him to stroll as a substitute of sitting in a wheelchair. He sustained extreme accidents throughout a crash and forceful affect with a security fence proper earlier than the end line on the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, on January 13.
Throughout the World Cup Finals, Aamodt Kilde joined the World Cup snowboarding household once more, this time as a spectator.
Experiencing the World Cup vibe
He stood along with Shiffrin within the Saalbach, Austria, end space as Shiffrin’s accidents saved her from racing in all however the slalom competitors on the World Cup Finals. She took house the slalom victory on March 16 and the World Cup slalom self-discipline globe.
In a March 23 interview with reporter Christian Paasche from Norwegian broadcaster TV2, Aamodt Kilde and Shiffrin shared feelings and standing updates.
“It’s fairly emotional to be right here, to be sincere. I sense the sensation that there’s a lengthy solution to go till I can ski, however it’s very cool to only really feel the vibe and see Mikaela and see folks you’re used to seeing,” Aamodt Kilde mentioned. “I’m actually prepared to only benefit from the day and really feel that it’s good to be on my ft once more, to have the ability to do issues myself.”
Shiffrin’s vital presence
Aamodt Kilde advised TV2 in regards to the significance of getting Shiffrin shut by after his accident:
“She’s meant the world, truly, being in a state of affairs the place you’re weak, and you may’t do something.”
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The powerfully constructed ski racer, who all of a sudden was incapacitated, talked in regards to the first evening after his accident when he wakened within the hospital: “I didn’t know if folks knew what I used to be doing and the place I used to be. So, my first thought once I wakened was, ‘I have to name all people and allow them to know what’s occurring,’ although I didn’t know. After which Mikaela was there. At that second, it simply meant all the things in that state of affairs.
“We had one evening collectively, and he or she was truly sleeping on the ground,” Aamodt Kilde continued with fun. “I used to be in ache, however it was form of peaceable. I saved waking up, her and having a very good feeling that she was there. We might have a very good second in a tricky second as nicely,” Aamodt Kilde advised TV2.
After sustaining her harm two weeks later, Shiffrin might do her rehabilitation coaching on the identical location as Aamodt Kilde: BASEFIVE in his present hometown, Innsbruck, Austria.
“I do my finest to maintain his spirits up, however I feel he does that extra for me than something,” she mentioned fortunately earlier than updating TV2 on her harm restoration to proceed after the World Cup Finals:
“My ankle’s nonetheless swelling, my knee’s nonetheless swelling. There’s nonetheless typically—not ache, however it’s not excellent, so I’ve to get a jumpstart on the prep season and take some restoration now.”
Unsure path forward
Aamodt Kilde has an extended solution to go in his rehabilitation course of and is unsure whether or not he can return to World Cup ski racing. He has shared progress and bodily and psychological hardship in social media updates and interviews. On the World Cup Finals, he described the continued course of to TV2:
“I can’t fairly think about snowboarding but. I feel that’s completely superb, and it’s not one thing I have to resolve on but. However I actually, actually need to have that as a aim. After which, once I get skis on my ft, I can reply whether or not it really works or not. However proper now, there’s a bit of work to be completed, to be fully sincere,” the world-class ski racer mentioned.
The shoulder he dislocated continues to be stiff and would require extra rehabilitation. It has but to be decided whether or not the racer famend for his highly effective begins will as soon as once more be capable of propel himself energetically together with his poles and achieve invaluable velocity on the racecourses.
The nerve harm brought on by the deep minimize sustained in his leg leaves elements of his decrease leg and foot numb. He can’t raise his large toe; it simply hangs down from his foot when it doesn’t have help. Not solely is that this troublesome and uncomfortable in on a regular basis life however the sensation and talent to use or launch stress in several elements of your ft and toes are important in fine-tuned, world-class alpine ski racing.
Teammate Sejersted additionally injured
Along with Aamodt Kilde, teammate Adrian Smiseth Sejersted additionally sustained a season-ending harm this 12 months. Sejersted and Aamodt Kilde certified to compete on the World Cup Finals however couldn’t begin.
Sejersted crashed throughout an official World Cup downhill coaching run at Kvitfjell, Norway, on February 16. He missed the popular line in a major flip and over the next bounce, touchdown exterior the best line, the place the snow was softer. His ft stalled, and he tumbled ahead a number of occasions throughout the important fall and hit the security web—the end result: a dislocated shoulder and surgical procedure.
Profession highlights
Sejersted gained the 2014 FIS Junior World Ski Championship in downhill, qualifying him for his first World Cup begin on the Finals solely days later. His older sister, Lotte Smiseth Sejersted, solely weeks earlier, completed sixth within the 2014 Olympic downhill. She had already captured 4 FIS Junior World Ski Championship medals, together with the 2011 downhill gold. After a number of seasons with accidents, one among Norway’s most gifted feminine skiers retired in 2017.
Youthful brother Sejersted earned 19 top-10 outcomes throughout his first ten years within the World Cup: 14 in super-G and 5 in downhill. In December 2020, he podiumed twice in super-G. Within the 2023 and 2019 super-G World Championships, he completed seventh and eighth, respectively.
The skier from Stabæk IF sports activities membership close to Oslo, Norway, has additionally had robust outcomes throughout the previous two seasons. He positioned fifth within the 2023 Kitzbühel downhill and sixth within the two 2024 Garmisch-Partenkirchen super-Gs.
Sejersted’s 4th-place end on this 12 months’s Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen stands out as significantly spectacular. Following teammate Aamodt Kilde’s critical accident, the race officers needed to cease the race for nearly half-hour to offer therapy to the injured Norwegian and organize a helicopter rescue from the end space.
This was a difficult state of affairs for everybody, together with the athletes in the beginning, who have been ready to race. Sejersted confirmed immense psychological energy and delivered strong snowboarding, incomes him his finest end result this season. Afterward, he had a tough time discovering phrases throughout a end space interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK:
“(That is) a really special occasion, one among my more durable downhill days. It brings to life fairly robust feelings when issues go each nicely and badly.”
Searching podiums
Throughout the 2022 Olympic Winter Video games super-G competitors, Sejersted began seventh and skied into second place behind main teammate Aamodt Kilde. The Norwegian snowboarding group was in suspense, hoping Sejersted would win a medal. He has battled many accidents and knee issues all through the years, negatively affecting his profession.
Nonetheless, Austrian Matthias Mayer, sporting bib 13, skied into first place on the Beijing super-G course quickly after. Subsequent, with bib 14, Ryan Cochran-Siegle captured the silver medal, shifting Aamodt Kilde into third place and Sejersted off the rostrum into fourth place, solely 0.32 seconds out of a bronze medal.
Sejersted’s outcomes over time present that he’s near the highest. Throughout the March 2023 Aspen World Cup downhill, he maintained the lead from bib primary till the race was canceled simply earlier than 30 opponents had began. Snow and fog moved in, and the jury canceled the race. For the World Cup outcomes to be legitimate, a minimal of 30 athletes will need to have began in a contest.
As soon as once more, disappointment engulfed Sejersted whereas Norwegian snowboarding followers shed tears on his behalf. Welcome to the world of ski racing, the place numerous exterior elements past the athletes’ management can considerably affect race outcomes at any second.
I’ll be again
Regardless of needing surgical procedure after this 12 months’s harm, Sejersted is motivated to coach arduous and return subsequent season.
“If I had fallen after the considerably sluggish begin in Val Gardena and Bormio, then maybe the reply would’ve been fully completely different. However the outcomes I received in January make me assured that I’ve good velocity, and that offers me the motivation to maintain going,” Sejersted advised his native newspaper Budstikka the week after his Kvitfjell crash.
Budstikka reported on February 20 that the 29-year-old is decided to proceed coaching arduous and racing for a number of seasons, with the 2026 Olympic Winter Video games as a transparent aim.
Newcomer Fredrik Møller
Some youthful Norwegian nationwide crew racers have joined Aamodt Kilde and Sejersted at World Cup velocity occasions throughout previous seasons. Certainly one of them is Fredrik Møller, who loved his World Cup debut this season.
Møller’s dad and mom, each former ski racers, moved the household from Bærum close to Oslo to the agricultural city of Oppdal, Norway, when Fredrik and his sister Pia have been younger. This ensured the ski-loving household easy accessibility to a bigger ski space with lengthy winters and wonderful coaching alternatives for the 2 siblings.
Rising up within the small, outdoorsy city by the mountains bore fruit. Throughout his first World Cup season, the 23-year-old impressively scored factors in all three disciplines, putting twenty first in super-G, two occasions twenty fourth in large slalom, and thirtieth in downhill. He began in 16 World Cup competitions and 9 European Cup races throughout the 2024 season.
Møller stems from the robust Oppdal Alpin ski membership and Oppdal Alpin Elite coaching program. Oppdal Alpine Elite cooperates with the Oppdal public secondary faculty. It has fostered many nice skiers, together with nationwide crew members Timon Haugan, Alexander Steen Olsen, Thea Louise Stjernesund, Bianca Bakke Westhoff and Markus Nordgård Fossland, in addition to icons Aksel Lund Svindal and Ragnhild Mowinckel.
Constructive experiences
Møller talked with Ski Racing about his first World Cup season throughout the Kvitfjell velocity occasions in mid-February.
In his first World Cup begin, the Sölden large slalom opener, he positioned twenty first within the first run after strong snowboarding. Sadly, the second run was canceled on account of robust winds. Møller advised Ski Racing the expertise nonetheless was constructive, because it proved he might compete on the World Cup degree.
He continued with good snowboarding in a number of of the next races, whereas different World Cup occasions felt rougher. Møller gained constructive experiences out of these conditions as nicely:
“In GS, I’ve been fairly near qualifying (for the second run) even when (my snowboarding) felt unhealthy, or I didn’t ski my finest. So, it has been constructive that I’ve been so shut and nonetheless felt that I didn’t make the most of my full potential. However that’s simpler mentioned than completed to convey out that potential,” Møller smiled.
“Irrespective of how good you’re, I imagine there are all the time ups and downs on this sport. There are small margins that resolve how a lot time you lose. You will need to simply carry on working,” he added.
Favourite self-discipline
Møller races three disciplines. Which one is his favourite?
“Often, whichever works the perfect is probably the most enjoyable,” he mentioned, laughing whereas standing within the Kvitfjell World Cup end space.
“Proper now, I prepare quite a lot of large slalom; I prepare little or no velocity, actually. There’s little time for that, since I race quite a lot of European Cup and World Cup.”
He believes “all coaching is sweet coaching” and that there shall be extra concentrate on velocity sooner or later. “I may need a bit higher potential there than in large slalom,” he added humbly.
After putting thirtieth within the downhill the day past, Møller completed thirty fourth within the Kvitfjell World Cup super-G race proper earlier than our discuss. He was not happy with the highest part of his run and completed 0.17 seconds out of the factors.
“I’ll come again stronger,” he said, soft-spoken but decided.
On March 22, Møller completed 4th in super-G on the European Cup Finals in Kvitfjell, solely 0.09 seconds behind the highest spot.
Harm break for Fossland
Markus Nordgård Fossland certified for the nationwide crew in 2022 and has competed within the velocity disciplines within the World Cup and European Cup for a number of years.
This winter, he suffered a skeletal harm throughout a crash on the January 13 Lauberhorn downhill race, the place Aamodt Kilde additionally suffered his accident. The harm stopped Fossland from competing in Kitzbühel the next week. After a brief harm break, the 25-year-old returned to the super-G and downhill World Cup competitions at Kvitfjell in mid-February.
Fossland has been a decided skier since an early age. Based on an interview with the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in 2022, Fossland requested his father to show him to prepare dinner dinner when he was a bit of boy. His father, a former alpine ski racer, requested his son why. Eight-nine-year-old Markus responded that he had heard of a college in Oppdal the place you may each attend faculty and ski concurrently, and he knew he must transfer there alone. Later, Fossland moved away from house to attend the Oppdal secondary faculty and prepare with Oppdal Alpin Elite.
Fossland, initially from Stjørdal, Norway (positioned a few hours west of Åre, Sweden), has had 26 World Cup begins since his World Cup debut in December 2021. As well as, he has had 48 European Cup begins since March 2018, with six top-10 outcomes, together with one victory within the velocity occasions.
Small velocity groups
The Norwegian nationwide velocity groups for women and men are usually comparatively small, usually with solely two or three athletes for every gender. Therefore, the groups are weak to athletes’ accidents or retirement.
Now headed by Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, the ladies’s velocity crew must construct for the longer term with out not too long ago retired Ragnhild Mowinckel.
Everybody within the snowboarding group hopes Aamodt Kilde will get better from his accidents so he can lead a pain-free on a regular basis life. Hopefully, he may also be capable of return as a World Cup ski racer. The rehabilitation course of must take no matter time is required.
Along with recovering from his accidents, Aamodt Kilde beforehand expressed his want to not return to ski racing except modifications are made inside the Norwegian Ski Federation. An extended-lasting battle concerning the Norwegian alpine skiers’ advertising rights has but to be solved. Aamodt Kilde didn’t point out this facet throughout his current interview with TV2 in Saalbach.
Viking globe winners
Regardless of the Norwegian Ski Federation’s small speed-discipline groups, the Norwegian males have captured unprecedented World Cup globes.
Over the previous 20 years, 2005-2024, velocity racers Aamodt Kilde, Kjetil Jansrud and Aksel Lund Svindal have gained ten super-G and 5 downhill World Cup self-discipline globes, greater than a 3rd of the globes awarded within the males’s velocity disciplines since 2005.
Moreover, Aamodt Kilde gained the general globe in 2020. Svindal captured the general title in 2009 and the general large slalom and mixed globes in 2007.
Moreover, Aamodt Kilde, Jansrud and Svindal recorded 20 second-place and third-place finishes within the World Cup general and velocity self-discipline standings between 2005-2024. Additionally, top-3 leads to the technical self-discipline standings and outcomes earlier than 2005 might be added to the Norwegian males’s listing of accomplishments.
The way forward for Norwegian males’s velocity crew
With the top-two velocity racers injured, Aamodt Kilde’s uncertainties, and no Norwegian males beginning within the velocity occasions on the World Cup Finals, the longer term may appear bleak. Nonetheless, the longer term might be promising for the Attacking Vikings:
Throughout a dialog with Ski Racing on February 18, Claus Ryste, the alpine director for the Norwegian Alpine Staff, highlighted that Sejersted is anticipated to return rapidly after his shoulder harm. The alpine director famous that Møller confirmed potential in his first World Cup season.
The Norwegian Alpine Staff historically focuses on creating robust technical expertise in younger skiers earlier than specializing in velocity disciplines. On the identical time, Norwegian skiers prepare and compete in nationwide super-G races at a youthful age than in different nations, based on Ryste. “We have now the conditions. That’s the reason, traditionally, we’ve got been the world’s finest super-G nation,” he tells Ski Racing.
Ryste believes Norway has many gifted, younger male skiers who can do nicely within the velocity disciplines sooner or later. Nonetheless, he identified that it takes time to develop velocity skiers from the European Cup degree into the highest degree within the World Cup and that it isn’t helpful to advance racers to the World Cup earlier than they’re prepared.
Endurance, time, and coaching are the recipe for the longer term for the injured and the budding Norwegian velocity racers.
