See how the next generation shines!
Madshus racers clean up the podiums across the board, first at the FIS Nordic Junior Competition in Falun (SWE) and then at the 2020 IBU Youth and Junior World Championships in Lenzerheide (SUI) and at the Norwegian National Championships.
Starting with the IBU biathlon Junior World Championships, Madshus racer Vebjørn Sørum (NOR) went straight for the podium. First, he took home the silver medal in the junior men’s 15km individual competition on January 27. Then, he advanced to gold at the next opportunity, winning the 10-kilometer sprint on Saturday by almost half a minute. Then, just a couple of hours later, Åsne Skrede (NOR) caps the day with the silver medal in the girl’s 7.5-kilometer sprint.
Full results from all the events at the 2020 IBU Youth and Junior World Championships
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At the 2020 Norwegian National Championships, Madshus young and promising cross-country skiers send a chill down the backs of the established elite . In a field worthy of a World Cup, they delivered podium finishes four days in a row, as well as numerous top-10 results.
On the first day of the 4-day championships in Konnerud, rising talent Harald Østberg Amundsen took home the silver medal in the 15-kilometer skate race – only two seconds from the gold.
Just hours before Østberg Amundsen’s epic silver medal, Madshus racers had claimed four of the top 12 spots in the women’s 10-kilometer skate race.
On Friday, Mathilde Skjærdalen Myhrvold snagged the bronze medal in the women’s classic sprint.
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On Saturday, Madshus turbo junior Helene Marie Fossesholm (NOR) crushed the senior elite, cruising into bronze in the 15km classic ahead of current Olympians and World Cup racers.
While her competitors are skiing full-time at the World Cup level, Fossesholm is still juggling her skiing career with education, and came to the senior National Championships straight from a busy week at school.
“I didn’t have the best preparations for the 15-kilometer classic, but that morning, I just felt really good, and I decided to just go for it,” Fossesholm said after her bronze medal race on Saturday.
For the 18-year-old, the 2020 FIS Junior Nordic World Championships in Oberwiesenthal (GER) in the end of February is the main goal for the season. However, national team coaches are already starting to consider her for international races and World Cups at the senior level.
Finally, on Sunday, Tiril Liverud Knudsen skied the first leg of the women’s relay for the national championships host club Konnerud, helping her team to the bronze medal.
In a season with no major international championships at the World Cup level, the Norwegian Nationals are among the most competitive and prestigious events this winter. Besides medals, fame and glory, there were team selections to the upcoming World Cups and the brand new FIS Ski Tour, which is also a part of the 2020 FIS World Cup, on the line for the racers this year.
Full results from the 2020 Norwegian National Championships
Also, Lars Ivar Skårset (NOR) won both the races at the Nordic Combined Continental Cup this weekend, after being first and second in the COC races the previous weekend.
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However, the action started well before the IBU Youth and Junior World Championships and the Norwegian nationals.
In Falun, the Madshus cross-country skiers took home a handsome collection of hardware from the 2020 FIS Nordic Junior competition, which took place on January 24 to 26.
On Friday, Johannes Staune-Mittet earned the bronze in the men’s 15km classic race.
On Saturday, Edvin Anger (SWE), who had just returned from the 2020 Youth Olympics in Lausanne (SUI), had the fastest qualifier time. Right behind Anger, Måns Skoglund (SWE) and Nils Bergström (SWE) had the second and third fastest times. Anger advanced to win the final with Skoglund in second place and Madshus racer Johannes Lønnestad Flaaten (NOR) in third place, sweeping up the sprint medals.
Then, on the final day of the championships, Lønnestad Flaaten and Staune Mittet helped Norway to gold in the relay.
At the same time, Falun was also hosting the FIS Cup. Rising Swedish star Lovisa Modig was third in the 15-kilometer skate race on Sunday, while Simon Andersson was fourth.
Full results from the 2020 FIS Nordic Junior competition
