Stina Nilsson has toiled this winter.
But during the Easter weekend it was an unexpected success – in the wrong sport.
– This was tough, she says.
Stina Nilsson did not have the winter that she, and many others, had hoped for. Nilsson hasn’t gotten it right since she moved from cross-country skiing to biathlon, and this season the development curve went in the wrong direction.
New success
Instead of competing for top positions in the World Cup, Nilsson has mostly had to compete in the IBU Cup instead, and she didn’t get the chance to compete in the World Cup either. Nilsson has said that there are no doubts about a possible continuation, but despite the big disappointments, there is no doubt that Nilsson is a good skier.
Just over a month ago, Nilsson won the long-distance Skinnarloppet at home in Malung. During the Easter weekend, Nilsson also competed in the Idre-Särnaloppet, also a long race, and once again it was a total success for Nilsson in the “wrong” sport, as she was the fastest of all 167 racers who competed in the 42 kilometer long race.
“It was tough”
Nilsson, who during his career as a skier won both World Cup and Olympic gold, was best known during his career as an expert in shorter distances, and especially in sprints. But she has now proven that she can master the longer distances as well, and in the Idre-Särnaloppet she won by one minute ahead of the runner-up, Wilma Jönsson.
The win is only more impressive as Nilsson did not have the best starting position, as she was really squeezed. Despite that, she got past all the riders, and she won comfortably in the end.
– This was tough, but nice tracks. It felt like 42 km plus VAT, Nilsson told Siljan News afterwards.
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