PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Stina Nilsson returns to cross-country skiing again.
This time as a long-distance skier, but it opens a door.
Now the Swedish national skiing team gives new information about a comeback for Nilsson.
A new ski season awaits shortly and it will be extra interesting when the ski WC in Trondheim 2025 is approaching. The Swedish national ski team has then explored two possible options to strengthen the WC squad and throw in two real jokers.
Nilsson to the WC?
Swedish national team manager Anders Byström admits that they contacted both long-distance runners Emil Persson and Stina Nilsson about coming along to the skiing WC. Above all, it is the five-mile that attracts the duo.
– I had a little dialogue with Emil Persson last year. I told him: Try going for the WC, because you have a chance in a five-mile race, says Byström to langd.se.
– He sounded interested in it and if they (long-distance runners) go to selection competitions, they are also relevant for the WC. Then I know that there has been talk about Stina Nilsson, but from what I have heard, she has no ambition about it.
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Nilsson is back again and will cross-country ski next season after four years in biathlon. But she doesn’t seem to have any plans to make a comeback to the national ski team again, but is fully aiming to compete in long races this winter.
Persson is one of the very best long-distance skiers on the men’s side and has taken many victories at Ski Classics. However, Emil does not close any doors for a future world championship in cross-country skiing.
– That would be fun. Now it’s skate time (during the WC in Trondheim) so it won’t work. But it would be a lot of fun to get to a championship in classic style. Then, however, I have to reschedule the training a bit more. I have a decent level on the diagonal and the longer distances. But I think more focus is required towards traditional and 10-15 km. Also include more diagonal skiing in the training, which I don’t do now, he tells the ski site.
– It would be super cool to fight for Sweden in a championship. The idea is there, but right now there is no plan for it. You can take a little season by season and see what you fancy. Right now it’s the long run focus.
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Emil Persson would have liked to see a championship in staking, then he would have lined up straight away.
– It would have been great fun if it could be achieved. They can collect that for the 2026 Olympics. That would be perfect, he says with a laugh.
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