Cross Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing: Therese Johaug hid the real reason she retired: “Help, help”
October 09, 2025 / SVT Sport
Therese Johaug reveals she initially planned a comeback targeting the 2026 Winter Olympics, but unexpected pregnancy with her second child led her to end her career instead. She describes spring training struggles with fatigue and high pulse, then learning she was pregnant and calling coach Pål Gunnar Mikkelsplass in tears; her husband Nils Jakob Hoff had publicly backed an Olympic push. Johaug had just missed golds at the Trondheim 2025 World Championships and announced retirement in May and pregnancy in July, with the baby due in January.
Cross-country skier Martin Flores and his dream of the 2026 Olympics
October 09, 2025 / Sportschau
Chilean cross-country skier Martin Flores is training at 3,000 meters in Portillo, Chile, as he pursues qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. A short video segment from ARD’s Morgenmagazin profiles his high-altitude preparations and ambition to represent Chile at the Games.
Cross-country: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo on the mental battle before Worlds: “Total crisis”
October 09, 2025 / SVT Sport
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo reveals he faced a severe mental struggle in the months leading up to the Trondheim World Championships, despite ultimately winning six golds on home snow. He says he lived with extreme discipline—training, nutrition and sleep—yet illness just before the event left him considering giving up. Klæbo shares the experience in the TV program “Skavlan & Sverige,” airing October 9 on SVT.
Cross-country: William Poromaa changes plan – skips altitude camp: “I lost my way”
October 08, 2025 / SVT Sport
Swedish cross-country skier William Poromaa will skip a planned mid-season altitude camp after struggling with illness and a poor response to back-to-back high-altitude blocks last season. Despite winning his first World Cup race and taking World Championships medals (50 km silver and relay bronze), he says the pre-Christmas period and Tour de Ski were largely disappointing, and he learned he doesn’t recover well from a second altitude stint. With the 2026 Olympics ahead, he is adjusting his training to avoid overreaching and illness.
Shock retirement at 24: Norwegian relay world champion Helene Marie Fossesholm ends career
October 08, 2025 / SPORT1
Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm has retired from cross‑country skiing at just 24, citing a prolonged loss of motivation despite efforts over the summer to rekindle her drive. The 2021 world relay gold medallist drew emotional reactions from teammates and coaches, while revealing plans to begin medical studies.
Cross-country skiing: Helene Marie Fossesholm warns that a revenge-hungry Norway will challenge Sweden
October 08, 2025 / SVT Sport
Recently retired at 24, Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm says she still believes Norway’s women will soon challenge Sweden’s current dominance in cross-country skiing. She argues Norwegian women’s skiing runs in cycles and has promising talents coming through, adding that the team won’t accept Sweden sweeping titles on Norwegian soil again. Her comments come as Norway adjusts to Therese Johaug’s definitive retirement and a couple of down seasons for the women’s squad.
At just 24: Norwegian world champion Helene Marie Fossesholm retires
October 08, 2025 / Kronen Zeitung (krone.at)
Norway’s cross-country skier Helene Marie Fossesholm has announced her retirement at age 24, citing a prolonged loss of motivation despite intensive preparation. Teammates and figures such as Therese Johaug and Heidi Weng, as well as national coach Sjur Ole Svarstad, expressed shock at the timing so close to the season. Fossesholm, a 2021 relay world champion with World Cup podiums and a national 10 km freestyle title, plans to study medicine.
Finnish head coach outraged by 2026 Olympic quota split: men’s relay may have only 8–10 teams
October 08, 2025 / Yle
Finland’s head coach Teemu Pasanen criticizes the Milan–Cortina 2026 cross‑country skiing quota system, warning that the men’s 4×7.5 km relay in Val di Fiemme could feature as few as 8–10 teams due to restrictive athlete allocations. Under the Olympic ranking-based distribution, many nations receive just one spot, capping strong countries’ men’s rosters at seven and leaving potential medal contenders at home. While women’s teams generally have full quotas, Pasanen says Finland and even powerhouse Norway face difficult selections, with Norway potentially excluding Olympic title candidates.
Cross-country skiing: Heidi Weng in tears after Fossesholm’s retirement: “Very good friends”
October 08, 2025 / SVT Sport
Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm has announced her retirement from cross-country skiing at just 24, surprising teammates and legends alike. Heidi Weng said she shed tears and fully supports her friend’s decision, while Therese Johaug and Marit Bjørgen also expressed shock given Fossesholm’s strong preseason training and the proximity to the Olympic season. Fossesholm described a difficult summer and autumn and said she felt relieved after making the decision public.
Therese Johaug–level prospect Helene Marie Fossesholm retires at just 24
October 07, 2025 / Yle
Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm has announced her retirement from cross-country skiing at age 24, citing a loss of motivation. Once touted as the successor to Therese Johaug and Marit Bjørgen, she won World Championship relay gold in 2021, three junior world titles and reached two World Cup podiums. Johaug, now an NRK expert, expressed surprise but praised Fossesholm for following her heart.
Expert reaction to Helene Marie Fossesholm’s retirement: “That she’s doing it now…”
October 07, 2025 / SVT Sport
SVT expert Anders Blomquist calls Helene Marie Fossesholm’s sudden retirement at age 24 “very surprising,” especially given the timing in October of an Olympic season. He notes the shock within the cross-country community and says the young Norwegian still seemed to have many good years ahead of her. The piece links to related coverage of Fossesholm’s decision and past injury issues.
Norwegian national team skier retires at 24
October 07, 2025 / Sveriges Radio - Radiosporten
Former Norwegian cross-country prodigy Helene Marie Fossesholm has announced her retirement at age 24, citing a lack of motivation in an Instagram post. Despite several difficult seasons, she posted four top‑10 World Cup finishes last season and plans to begin a new career after Christmas.