Sweden came third after Norway… and Norway.
Frida Karlsson was then critical of her competitors.
– Maybe it was a protest…
Sweden had a leaden start to Sunday’s mixed relay in the World Cup in Norway. Maja Dahlqvist left in sixth, and at the top Heidi Weng, Norwegian veteran and profile, had a big gap to the other competitors. But that didn’t last very long.
Karlsson’s boot
Frida Karlsson and Silje Theodorsen, who skated for Norway’s second team in the competition, quickly caught up. Frida Karlsson was the hungriest and took the lead, but then the race stopped a bit. Frida Karlsson wanted one of the Norwegian riders to take the lead, but they both waited and let Frida Karlsson do the hard work at the front herself.
Now Frida Karlsson reacts to the Norwegian skaters, and believes that it was a tactically thought-out choice, despite the fact that the teams actually competed against each other.
– I tried to get someone out, but I was the first to go. Either they were very tired, or it was a protest, says Karlsson to NRK.
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The Norwegian answer
However, the Norwegian riders did not have much for Frida Karlsson’s accusation. The two Norwegian teams eventually finished first and second (Sweden was third), and then fought back against Karlsson.
– I simply didn’t see any point in pulling. It wasn’t a tactic on my part. I didn’t want to go first, and it was easiest to go behind. I had more than enough to focus on, says Heidi Weng.
Silje Theodorsen agrees with Heidi Weng, and believes that it was not something that had been discussed in advance.
– It gets a bit like that, when it is an advantage to be behind. I thought I had to save my energy for the end, she says.
Calle Halfvarsson drove Sweden’s final stretch, but he had to give in to a sprint duel and Sweden thus finished third.
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