Cross‑country: Calle Halfvarsson knocked out immediately in Finland

Calle Halfvarsson was knocked out immediately in Finland

Calle Halfvarsson’s struggles continued as he was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Scandinavian Cup sprint in Vanda, Finland. The 36‑year‑old did not advance from his heat and finished fifth, beaten by Swedish teammates Johan Häggström and Oskar Algotsson as well as China’s Wang Qiang and Finland’s Ville Ahonen.

Earlier in the event there was Swedish cause for celebration: Jesper Persson won the men’s sprint after a hard final‑straight duel with Norway’s Amund August Korsæth, while Sofia Henriksson claimed the women’s sprint victory.

Halfvarsson’s early exit is a setback in his build‑up toward the 2026 Olympic sprint, which he has said is his focus and where he hopes to challenge Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Kläbo. He commented in June that the high‑speed finish of the Olympic course should suit him well.

Also failing to make progress was Oskar Svensson, another Swedish skier chasing an Olympic spot; he placed 47th in qualifying and did not reach the quarterfinals.

The Scandinavian Cup in Vanda served as an important preparation and selection opportunity for athletes targeting the Olympic season.