Cross-country skiing: Russian star Savelii Korostelev to be flown to Davos

SVT reports that Russian cross-country skiing talent Savelii Korostelev is expected to head directly from Tyumen to Davos for the next FIS Cross-Country World Cup weekend, provided he is cleared to compete as a neutral athlete.

According to Russian Ski Federation president Elena Vyalbe, Korostelev’s visa has been approved and he will fly to Davos, although his neutral status still requires FIS confirmation. Korostelev told SVT via text message on Monday morning that he will only travel once FIS has granted him neutral status, which he has not yet received. The federation has paid 2,000 Swiss francs (about 23,000 SEK) for FIS to process the neutrality application; until the payment is processed, no status will be issued, he said to Match TV.

Korostelev, a double junior world champion in 2022, won a 20 km mass start in the Russian Cup on Sunday by a few centimetres in a photo finish ahead of three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov. He says a few World Cup weekends would show him where he stands and that he dreams of winning Olympic gold.

If Korostelev starts in Davos (World Cup races 12–14 December), it would mark the first participation of a Russian cross-country skier against international competition since the Beijing 2022 Olympics, which ended the week before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

SVT adds that Sweden will announce its Davos team on Tuesday, but it is already clear that Ebba Andersson, Frida Karlsson and William Poromaa will skip the high‑altitude races.