PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Frida Karlsson now admits her great concern.
The Swedish ski star opens up about the future of cross-country skiing.
– It is still a crisis, she tells Expressen.
Cross-country skiing is often singled out as the most Swedish sport of them all. With Vasaloppet’s great commitment and all the blue-and-yellow successes on the ski tracks over the years, there is a strong reason why the Swedes love cross-country skiing.
Worry about skiing
The SVT program “Winterstudion” has also been extremely popular and has contributed to the fact that interest in the sport of skiing is substantial around the country. But there is great concern for the future of the sport.
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24-year-olds Ella Olsson is one of many Swedish skiers who struggle to keep the finances together and do what she loves most – namely skiing. She made her World Cup debut last season and also rode the World Cup sprint in Östersund in December, but struggles every day to cope with everyday life and keep her dream alive.
– Calle Halfvarsson has said that he would make more money sitting in the cash register at Ica Maxi. And that’s how it is for me too, Ella admits to Expressen.
Frida Karlsson’s words
Olsson has both worked in home care and studied industrial economics in order to make ends meet and be able to focus on elite cross-country skiing.
– It is terribly tough. Sometimes I wonder if I can even keep doing this. When the going gets tough in skiing and you’re completely broke… then it’s hard, she says in the interview.
– I liked my job and it made me think about other things, but of course it was tough. Should you work six hours and train four hours a day… It eats up your strength. I dream of being able to ski full time.
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Frida Karlsson also reveals her great concern for skiing, even though she is one of the skiers who earns the most in the national team. Last year, she teamed up with her teammate Maja Dahlqvist to sponsor the competitions in Falun with extra prize money.
– It will get better for us at the top, but for the width it is still a crisis, says Karlsson to the evening newspaper.
– I get worried about our sport. There are many things that make you feel worried about our sport right now – and the financial part is definitely one of them.
What do you think of Frida Karlsson’s concerns? Share the article and have your say!
READ MORE: Ebba Andersson’s great shock over the detail after winning the Jerring Prize – now reveals: “Hard to believe it…”
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