PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Sweden won the relay in the World Cup.
Despite that, national team manager Anders Byström is now directing major criticism.
– It is a great shame and very bad, he says to Sportbladet.
The Swedes have made a fantastic start to the World Cup season. During the premiere weekend in Ruka, there was a Swedish winner in all races on the women’s side. The success continued in Gällivare.
The Swedish relays
In the ladies’ 10 kilometer freestyle, there were three Swedes, Ebba Andersson, Moa Ilar and Emma Ribomtop four. Jessie Diggins however, won the race and became the World Cup season’s first non-Swedish winner on the women’s side. Sweden was also successful in the relays.
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The men’s team, with Calle Halfvarsson, Edwin Anger, Leo Johansson and Johan Hagstrom, came second behind strong Norway. The women’s team took the first Swedish victory in the relay since 2009, with the team Ebba Andersson, Moa Ilar, Emma Ribom and Moa Lundgren. But the relays have received a lot of criticism afterwards.
Great criticism
There were many teams who chose not to show up and go home from Gällivare. Some countries also do not have skaters for a full relay team. There were therefore only ten nations on the men’s side and six(!) on the women’s side who competed in the relays.
– It is a great sin and very bad. The risk is that the baton will disappear if it looks like this, says Anders Byström, national team manager, to Sportbladet.
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Recently, mixed relay was introduced in cross-country skiing. Then there are two men and two women from the same nation competing. That variant is seen as an alternative to solve the problem, and get more teams to line up.
– We have discussed this with FIS (International Ski Federation) as well. Not all countries have so many riders. Maybe mixed relay is the way to go. But those of us who have been around for a while love the regular relays, says Byström to the evening newspaper.
READ MORE: Ebba Andersson’s unexpected confession after the great success – now knocking the World Cup: “I have to admit it”
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