PHOTO: Bildbyrån
She broke one of Ingemar Stenmark’s records last year and is approaching one of Anja Pärson’s.
Sandra Näslund’s dominance in skicross is total. But the 27-year-old is still not satisfied.
– I want the other girls to be able to hunt for a few more years, she says.
In the end, it was a knee injury that ended the streak, not the competition. Sandra Näslund lined up from December 2021 to February this year 18 straight victories in the World Cup. There are three more Ingemar Stenmarks previous record on the alpine side.
With 37 victories in the World Cup, she is also starting to approach another legend, Anja Pärson who managed 42 career victories.
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Yes, you get it. It’s been going quite well for a few years now.
– Yes, yes, absolutely. But it’s rare that I still feel safe when I’m at the start. Most of the time I still feel that I have to ride well to beat the competition, says Sandra Näslund.
– But then there are certainly certain courses where I might feel that if I ride as I should, they should have no chance of overtaking me.
“Go and have fun”
It is the starts that are Sandra Näslund’s greatest strength. The weaknesses are a little more difficult to point out, she admits. But since the competitors are constantly working hard to get better, she has to do it too.
There is no lack of motivation in sight, even though the dominance has already resulted in an Olympic gold medal, several World Cup gold medals and four victories in the overall World Cup.
– Every time I stand there at the start and have the competitors next to me, I want to win and do my best. I still think it’s quite easy to recharge, she says.
– Almost easier when it’s going so well, you don’t have to think too much, the only thing I have to do is ski and have fun.
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Training with the men
Due to a lack of competition on the women’s side, Sandra Näslund has trained a bit with the Swedish men’s team before the season. There are, for example, David Mobärgwho came second in the overall World Cup last year, and his brother Erik Mobärg who, among other things, has two WC bronze medals on his merit list.
– It’s the boys I have to try to hunt. Sometimes it’s tough to be the slowest in every practice. But sometimes it also feels really good when you get to beat some, says Sandra Näslund.
– There are very few times I get to beat David or maybe Erik. But we also have some younger guys that I can fight with. It might not always be so much fun for them, but it’s good exercise.
It was quite noticeable when you broke Ingemar Stenmark’s record last year. Is it possible to take in all the successes, or does it have to wait until after the career?
– Both. It is clear that I often still look back on many competitions and feel proud of everything I have achieved.
– But I think it’s a bit difficult to compare yourself to Ingemar and Anja, it’s a completely different sport and a completely different competition.
Born: 6 July 1996 (age 27).
Branch: Ski cross.
Club. Kramfors alpine.
Main achievements: Olympic gold in 2022, Olympic fourth in 2018, fifth in 2014. Individual WC gold in 2017, 2021 and 2023 and in team 2023. Overall victory in the World Cup in 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. 37 victories and a further 26 podiums in the World Cup in 103 starts.
READ MORE: Stina Nilsson reveals private messages with boyfriend Emil Nykvist – which were decisive during the tough time
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