Borre Naess has won three out of four rollerski races this summer. Will he become Norway’s next big sprinter?
 season with them. Borre has raced four individual rollerski sprint races. He broke a pole in one of them and won the other three. He also won the classic 100-meter on-snow race in Kragero in June. Some of the top skiers participated in all the races. Borre is not sure if he has always been this fast.</p>
<p>– The biggest difference is that I have never participated in rolleski races, says Borre.</p>
<p>There is no doubt however that Borre suddenly has become one of Norway’s fastest skiers.</p>
<p>It’s not a coincidence that he is winning, says sprint coach Ulf Morten Aune. He is extremely fast.</p>
<p>Borre says that he has improved several notches after only a few months on the national team.</p>
<p>– I have benefited a lot from the first camps. I have improved most everything and learned a lot.</p>
<p>You are not just simply peaking early?</p>
<p>– No, I don’t think so. I think I’m smart enough to not always hang on to the others training pace. That can be dangerous, especially at altitude. I need to take it easy and recover now-and-then.</p>
<p>Taking it easy is one of the reasons Borre believes he is doing well.</p>
<p>– It’s more fun to train now; I’m not thinking so much about “hours†as in the past and more of my training is done with (energy) surplus. </p>
<p>Aune says that it’s important to not put too much weight on the results of the rollerski races. He has seen many rollerski rockets that have never won a World Cup race. Aune believes that Borre’s big challenge is endurance. He has to maintain the speed in the entire sprint, not only for 100 meters at maximum speed. Borre agrees with the coach, but is happy that he possesses the speed. </p>
<p>– It would be worse if it was opposite. It’s harder to train to become fast than to improve your endurance, says Borre.</p>
<p>What about the upcoming Worlds in Oberstdorf, is this too early for you or can you do well already this season?</p>
<p>– World's is on my mind and I can qualify for it on a good day. It’s definitely a goal of mine.</p>
<p>Aune thinks that Naess can fight in the top at this year's Worlds if he qualifies.</p>
<p>– We have ten skiers trying to qualify for four spots in the sprint. All of those four can win. That says something about how tough this is.</p>
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FasterSkierAugust 29, 2004
