Havard Skorstad is a member of the Norwegian long-distance team and views it as a bonus that he is selected to race the World Cup opening in Gallivare, Sweden this weekend.
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— It was fun to be selected. I wasn’t too surprised, because I knew that I was in good shape. But it’s of course fun to ski fast when it counts. I have been focusing on training for marathons this year, so it’s a bonus that I was selected. I always try to ski as fast as possible, says Havard Skorstad.</p>
<p>He placed 6th in the 15-kilometer classic last weekend</p>
<p>He has been a member of the Norwegian development team the last three years, but is on the national long distance team, Team Intersport, this season. The team is privately funded.</p>
<p>– My season didn’t go too well last year, and I was struggling with the after- effect of over-training the previous season. I was also a bit unlucky with sickness. It’s common that you are a bit up and down the year following over-training. I feel however that I’m on the way up again, and I have felt good all the way since the spring, says the 31-year old. Â </p>
<p>He doesn’t know quite how he will do up against the World’s best skiers, and isn’t sure what to hope for regarding results this weekend.</p>
<p>— I will first of all focus on doing things right and ski a good race. I haven’t skied against foreigners this season, so it’s hard to say where I stand. I will do fine if I can ski as fast as I did at Beitostolen last weekend, says Skorstad.</p>
<p>Skorstad admits that he has thought a little bit about the Worlds as well.</p>
<p>— I have known about the 50-kilometer classic at Worlds for a few years. That has been on my mind for a long time. A lot has to work out if I’m going to qualify for that, but 50-K classic is a nice event, says the marathon man, that this summer rollerskied 330-kilometer from Oslo to Ulvik.</p>
<p>This week he travels by plane from Oslo to Stockholm. From there it’s by plane to Kiruna, then by bus to Gallivare, Sweden.</p>
<p>Source: Langrenn.com</p>
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Havard Skorstad is a member of the Norwegian long-distance team and views it as a bonus that he is selected to race the World Cup opening in Gallivare, Sweden this weekend.