Cross-country: Frida Karlsson’s extreme thoughts: “I can question my career choice”

Swedish cross-country skiing star Frida Karlsson says her relationship with cold weather is complicated and has at times felt like a phobia. In SVT Sport’s feature series “Resan mot OS” (The Road to the Olympics), she admits that the cold can even make her question her choice of career.

Karlsson describes the worst moments as those immediately after a race: she experiences a shock-like feeling as if she can’t feel her body. The cold also affects her training seasons—she says that when autumn arrives and training loads are high, it’s easier to pick up inflammation, and her body doesn’t feel as smooth. That’s one reason she chose to spend several weeks training in warmer conditions in Tenerife ahead of the season.

Reflecting on the last Olympics in Beijing, Karlsson notes that the extreme cold likely hurt her performances. Thinking ahead to Milan–Cortina 2026, and particularly Val di Fiemme where she has raced many times, she associates the venue with sun and enthusiastic crowds and pictures a bright, positive atmosphere.

The full interview appears in SVT Sport’s “Resan mot OS,” available on SVT Play in Sweden.