Cross-country skiing: Little‑experienced Filipino ignites World Cup debate

Edward Limbaga, a 48‑year‑old athlete from the Philippines, sparked controversy by starting the men’s 10 km freestyle at the Cross‑Country World Cup in Trondheim despite having minimal experience on skis.

Limbaga placed 111th of 111 starters in 46:31, more than twice the winning time set by Norway’s Einar Hedegart. During the race he reportedly fell three times, broke a pole, and interfered with faster skiers, raising questions about safety and competitive integrity at the World Cup level.

Background and route to the start line - Limbaga resides in California and previously represented the United States internationally in inline hockey. - He first tried cross‑country skiing only weeks ago and, until late November, practiced on rollers rather than snow. He skied on real snow for the first time at the season opener in Ruka.

Athlete reactions - Norway’s Jan Thomas Jenssen told NRK he felt Limbaga did not yet master basic technique and cornering, calling the situation unsafe. - Austria’s Mika Vermeulen also criticized the start, arguing that such inexperience belongs in junior or lower‑level events, not the World Cup. - Limbaga said he understands the concerns and tries to follow rules and give way, adding that there is often plenty of space and he hopes others can avoid him.

Why he was allowed to start: FIS special rule - A temporary FIS rule for early season allows athletes from small cross‑country nations (e.g., Bermuda, Morocco, Chile, the Philippines) with up to 800 FIS points to start in the first three World Cup weekends to collect points toward Olympic qualification. - To actually qualify for the Olympics, they must record at least one race under 300 FIS points. Limbaga’s current FIS points are listed as 563.46. - FIS emphasized this is an exception; typically the weakest skiers would be seeded to start at the back to reduce risk, but Trondheim’s tight schedule and limited daylight prevented reseeding.

What’s next - Limbaga plans to start again in Davos as he continues to chase his dream of competing at the Milano–Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. His story has drawn comparisons to Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards, the British ski jumper who became an emblem of the Olympic “taking part” spirit in 1988.