The cross-country skiing world cup was on break last week. Instead, in Finland, for example, skied for the WC medals at the Vantaa WC.
However, the continuation of the World Cup in North America has been a big topic of conversation for a long time. The World Cup continues in Canmore, Canada, from the 9th to the 13th. February and in Minneapolis, USA on February 17-18.
Finland will not send a full team to the games. National team skier Johanna Matintalo criticized the decision harshly.
– It is not possible to go to North America with full teams. It feels a bit comical, Matintalo uploaded to Urheilu.
Executive Director of the Ski Association Ismo Hämäläinen answered that he understood Matintalo’s criticism, but reminded of economic realities. The financial situation of the ski association is difficult, and in addition, the national ski team has exceeded its budget set before the season.
Compared to European World Cups, the cost of a trip to North America is 4–5 times higher.
Read more: Johanna Matintalo described the activities of the Ski Association as comical – now the executive director responds to the criticism
Iivo Niskanen voluntarily left the North American trip. Krista Pärmäkoski also made the decision to miss the North American Games, which opened a place for Matintalo in the team.
Finland will send five women and five men to the North American Games, even if the quota is six skiers per race.
In itself, there is nothing new in the situation. ‘s expert Ville Nousiainen considering the history, the team is even particularly big.
Nousiainen feels that considering the costs and strain of the trip to North America, the athlete should rather invest in his most important competitions in the spring, if there are any.
The same considerations regardless of the country
In any case, the national skiing teams are in significant financial problems elsewhere than in Finland. For example, a Norwegian newspaper VG wrote About the problems of the French and German national teams.
– It is more than ever necessary to think about the general interest of cross-country skiing – instead of the interests of our own nations. This means that everyone has to make investments and compromises, the sporting director of the French national team Pierre Mignerey stated.
He considers one example to be the fact that everyone demands the best matches for their country in the competition calendar, without thinking about which ones are most interesting to the public and the TV product.
Mignerey previously worked as the competition manager of the International Ski Federation FIS. In his opinion, right decisions are needed now more than ever, because more and more countries have run into economic problems.
– It is dramatic that good intentions are always destroyed due to a lack of community. It’s pointless to blame FIS for that. The responsibility lies with the national associations, which have not been able to look at anything other than their own interests, Mignerey said.
Manager of the German national team Peter Schlickenrieder on the other hand, insisted that the Games must be made more entertaining and easier to understand for the public.
– We have to think bigger, otherwise we will disappear from television.
There seems to be a prevailing consensus that skiing is in particularly serious financial problems, but it is more difficult to find consensus on solutions.
Mignerey demands support from bigger countries for small ski resorts – but even the biggest ski resorts seem to be in trouble. Schlickenrieder hopes that only four athletes per country would be allowed to participate in the Games, so that they would not look like the “Norwegian Championships”. Competition in private teams, such as in cycling, has often been brought up in discussions.
Norway’s decision is shocking
Norway’s decision clearly reflects the financial situation of national skiing teams, especially according to Norwegian newspapers. Norway named seven female and 11 male skiers to North America.
Norway could have taken more skiers on the trip, but the country’s skiing association outlined already in the fall that only skiers from the “red group” of the International Skiing Association can go to North America. It includes the top 15 of both sprint races and normal races over the past 12 months.
Skiers in the red group receive compensation for their travel and accommodation expenses from FIS.
Canadian ex-skier, 2011 Paris Sprint World Champion Devon Kershaw cannot understand Norway’s decision.
– This is a joke that you leave the winners of the World Cup at home because they are not in the red group. Shut up! Look at the budgets of all other countries. For what the hell, Norway? Don’t blame the budgets. This is ridiculous, Kershaw rants The Devon Kershaw Show –on the podcast.
Kershaw lives in Norway and is married to a World Cup and Olympic champion Kristin Störmer Steiran with. Kershaw does not accept budget explanations because North American teams can find the money for a long season in Europe.
– If they have such a tight budget, maybe they should go to their office in Oslo and look at the administration and how much unnecessary staff there is, Kershaw said.
The USA skiers were on the same lines Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden. Diggins noted that the last time he was home for Christmas was in 2011.
– Unfortunately, being in Europe for the whole season costs a lot. I see a lot of effort behind the scenes. Many of the clubs, families and sponsors sacrifice a lot. It is something that we – from the US, Canada and Australia – have to manage all the time. It takes a lot of work, I can tell you that, Diggins mused.
For example, Norway was left out of North America Jan Thomas Jenssen, 27, who is one of this season’s surprises. He won in Ruka in the opening of the season in 20 kilometers freestyle skiing.
– This is very boring. There are two trips that would have suited me well, Jenssen lamented for SVT.
Jenssen naturally disagrees with the decision of his country’s skiing association. He said that he tried to get the decision-makers’ heads to turn, but to no avail.
– It’s very sad to be sidelined because of money. We are the best skiing nation in the world on the men’s side and I think it’s a shame that we don’t have enough sponsorship to send all the best, wherever we are in the world.
Norwegian team manager Ulf Morten Aune said that one skier’s race trip to North America costs at least NOK 60,000 (about EUR 5,300). FIS, however, pays 320–800 euros for the expenses of the red group skiers, depending on the race location.
Jenssen is more critical of the Norwegian federation’s financial situation. He was surprised that only Ruka and Tour de Ski had doctors and Physiotherapists with them. According to Jenssen, Norway should do better on the sponsorship front.
Manager Aune pointed out that only red group skiers have “always” competed in North America.
– I don’t want to comment on those who were left out. But sending people there comes at an extreme cost. I don’t want to comment on the sponsor situation, but I understand that the skiers are disappointed.
In any case, Norway probably has the largest group of European countries in North America. Sweden sends eight women and eight men.
In Kershaw’s opinion, it is not essential, but the fact that the Norwegian federation, as the richest skiing country, hides behind the economic situation and only chooses athletes supported by the FIS.
– Others can think what they want. We decided this already in the fall, Aune acknowledged the criticism.