They are two of Swedish skiing’s biggest icons.
But now Gunde Svan and Thomas Wassberg are clearly criticizing today’s skiers.
– I can still be surprised by that to this day, says Gunde in the SVT documentary “Gunde Svan – The Skier”.
A lot has happened in the skiing world since the glory days of Gunde Swan and Thomas Wassberg in the ski tracks. The blue and yellow duo achieved enormous success for Swedish skiing in the 80s and piled up World Cup and Olympic medals.
Gunde’s criticism
They were unique winners and always went their own way to be the best they could be. Gunde also belonged to the first generation of cross-country skiers who went to a ski gymnasium.
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Now he admits that back then it was very much about the skiers becoming their own coaches in order to achieve success. In contrast to how it is nowadays, and both Svan and Wassberg direct clear criticism of today’s skiing.
– It was drummed in, the first day in Torsby, that’s how it was. That on paper it says that we are your coaches, but it is you who will become your own coaches, says Svan in the new SVT documentary “Gunde Svan – The Skier”.
– I can be surprised by that today, that it is so much controlled by what another coach set up that you should train.
Wassberg fills in
Former teammate and pair horse Wassberg agrees with the criticism and fills in more.
– I really don’t like the situation as it is today, that they should have a coach who controls like this, they have to learn to know their own body and you should have learned that in high school, says Thomas in the documentary.
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The ski national team’s women’s coach Andreas Domeij doesn’t understand the criticism from the legends and thinks it’s “very much a dialogue between the active and the coach” these days.
– Maybe it was a little more raw in those days, that you should take care of yourself better, says the current national team skater Johanna Hagström in a response to SVT.
– But I myself think that I become more and more individual over the years. But it’s always nice to have a coach to rely on, as extra support. Something to land on.
What do you think of the skiing icons’ criticism? Share the article and have your say!
READ MORE: Gunde Svan’s incredibly beautiful tears – break down when he reveals the truth about his son Ferry: “Do you think you understand…”
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