Cross Country Skiing
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Johannes Høsflot Klæbo edged by Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget in Ruka World Cup opener: an early warning shot before the Olympics
November 28, 2025 / Eurosport Norway
Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget won the men’s 10 km interval start in the World Cup opener at Ruka, finishing 2.1 seconds ahead of Johannes Høsflot Klæbo after a tight battle featuring several Norwegians. Austria’s Mika Vermeulen and Norway’s Alexander Fjorden Ree were also prominent, while Finland’s Iivo Niskanen briefly led. In the women’s race, Heidi Weng took second behind Sweden’s Frida Karlsson as Norway placed multiple athletes in the top 10; the weekend continues with sprint and freestyle mass start events.
World Cup: Frida Karlsson wins the season opener in Ruka
November 28, 2025 / L'Équipe
Frida Karlsson won the women's 10 km classic in Ruka, Finland, opening the new Cross-Country World Cup season. She finished 10.5 seconds ahead of Norway's Heidi Weng, with Sweden's Moa Ilar third; Ebba Andersson was fourth and Jessie Diggins fifth. Returning from injury, France's Delphine Claudel placed 46th, nearly a year after her last World Cup start.
Myhlback before World Cup debut: “Like an exciting movie”
November 28, 2025 / Sveriges Radio - Radiosporten
Swedish cross-country prospect Alvar Myhlback, 19, will make his World Cup debut in Ruka after a strong weekend in Gällivare. He plans to prioritize the Ski Classics long-distance circuit this winter but keeps the door slightly open for the 2026 Olympics. Myhlback says the World Cup opener feels “like an exciting movie.”
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Olympic hope alive for Emil Iversen – secures World Cup start in Trondheim
November 28, 2025 / Eurosport Norway
Norway’s Emil Iversen, left out of the World Cup opener in Ruka, rebounded by winning the 10 km freestyle at the national race in Gålå. The victory guarantees him a start in the same event at next week’s World Cup stop in Trondheim, keeping his Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic ambitions on track. The selection controversy drew comments from Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and a response from national team boss Per Elias Kalfoss.
FIS Cross-Country World Cup Race Director Michal Lamplot previews new season
November 27, 2025 / FIS
FIS Cross-Country Race Director Michal Lamplot outlines the 2025–26 World Cup, highlighting a balanced calendar with added rest weekends, the 20th Tour de Ski featuring a new Heat Mass Start stage, and the return of the iconic 50 km races at Holmenkollen. He says Olympic preparations in Val di Fiemme are on track with upgraded courses and infrastructure, and notes a season-ending World Cup in Lake Placid as a marquee finale. The Tour remains Italy-based this year, though FIS aims to involve more host nations in future editions.
Krista Pärmäkoski reveals where she will race for the last time
November 27, 2025 / Yle Urheilu (Yle)
Finnish cross-country skier Krista Pärmäkoski, 34, announced that this season will be her last as a professional. She plans to end her career after competing in her 18th World Cup season and a fifth Winter Olympics cycle, with her final race set for the Finnish Championships 30 km classic individual start in Inari on April 12, 2026.
Frida Karlsson seeks redemption: “I want to feel my body respond”
November 27, 2025 / Sveriges Radio - Radiosporten
After finishing 10th in the 10 km freestyle at Gällivare, more than a minute behind winner Ebba Andersson, Frida Karlsson says she is aiming to bounce back at the World Cup opener in Ruka. She will race the same 10 km distance there, but in classic technique, and despite already securing her Olympic berth she insists she is not satisfied and wants proof her form is coming. “I’m not happy just having a spot—I want to feel that my body responds,” Karlsson says.
100 km sessions and the Norwegian method: Mathis Desloges on his preparation — “I love digging into what other sports do”
November 27, 2025 / L'Équipe
France’s cross-country prospect Mathis Desloges, sixth in the 2025 World Championships skiathlon, explains how he built his Olympic-season training before opening in Ruka. He details adopting Norwegian-style double-threshold work, very long endurance sessions up to 100 km, and a tailored focus on classic technique and finishing speed. Coaches Renaud Jay and Thibaut Chêne highlight his curiosity, data‑driven approach, and co‑constructed plan aimed at World Cup podiums and Milan–Cortina 2026.
Aino-Kaisa Saarinen will never forget Krista Pärmäkoski’s spontaneous spark: “After that, the podiums just kept coming”
November 27, 2025 / Yle
Finnish cross-country great Aino-Kaisa Saarinen reflects on Krista Pärmäkoski’s decision to retire after the upcoming World Cup season, praising her as the national team’s dependable “workhorse.” Saarinen recounts Pärmäkoski’s long international career with 12 championship medals, World Cup wins including Lahti 2024, and decisive relay moments like anchoring bronze in Oberstdorf 2021 over Jessie Diggins. She recalls a formative moment early in Pärmäkoski’s rise when a new insight clicked, preceding years of consistent top results.
Finnish cross-country star to retire after this season
November 27, 2025 / Sveriges Radio (Radiosporten)
Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski, 36, announced on Instagram that she will retire after the 2025–26 season, one day before the World Cup opener in Ruka. Over an 18-season World Cup career she earned five Olympic medals (two silver, three bronze) and seven World Championship medals. She reflected on a journey of highs and lows and confirmed this will be her final World Cup campaign.
Jasmi Joensuu, 29, wants an Olympic medal and may retire afterward — dreams of starting a family
November 26, 2025 / Yle
Finnish sprint specialist Jasmi Joensuu reflects on her unconventional path, including a pivotal move to the University of Denver, and her breakout 2024–25 season culminating in the World Cup sprint globe. She says the 2026 Winter Olympics sprint in Val di Fiemme is the key target and could be her last major event, as she also dreams of starting a family. Joensuu credits mental training and international resources for her rise and notes she now splits time between Rovaniemi, Helsinki, and Geneva with partner Markus Granlund.
German Ski Association: Doping‑positive Victoria Carl will not compete at the Olympics
November 25, 2025 / Yle
Germany’s Ski Association says Olympic cross‑country champion Victoria Carl will not take part in the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics as she remains provisionally suspended after a positive test for clenbuterol in March at the Military World Championships. Carl says the substance came from a medication provided by an army doctor and maintains there was no intentional doping, while the case is still being processed. The federation states her participation in upcoming competitions and the 2026 Games is ruled out for now, and it seeks a transparent and fair procedure that respects the athlete’s rights.