PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Frida Karlsson won convincingly in the pursuit start in Ruka while Ebba Andersson finished second.
But just before the race, an unexpected drama unfolded.
– It was terrible, Andersson says to the Norwegian Dagbladet.
The World Cup premiere ended with great Swedish success when Frida Karlsson drove home the victory in the chase start on Sunday. At the same time stopped Ebba Andersson in second place. But shortly before the race was to start, things got dramatic inside the ski stadium in Ruka.
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“It was terrible”
Just seconds before the start, a loud beeping sound could be heard echoing across the stadium, prompting riders to react and cover their ears to escape the loud sound.
The article continues after the picture.
Some of the riders who listened were Ebba Andersson and the Norwegian riders Helene Marie Fossesholm and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg.
– It was terrible, says Ebba Andersson to Dagbladet.
Even Frida Karlsson reacted to the sound.
– I started to think about whether the sound was coming from inside my head, she says while Helene Marie Fossesholm described the sound as unpleasant.
– I hope I never have to experience it again, it was really unpleasant, she says.
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The Swedish success
Despite the strange charging before the race, the Swedes did not seem to have been affected too much by the intense sound. Frida Karlsson left and with three kilometers left in the race it was clear that there would be victory. Ebba Andersson entered in second place and completed the Swedish success during the premiere weekend. Tiril Udnes Weng ran into third place.