Karoline Simpson-Larsen edges Astrid Øyre Slind in a nail-biting finish in Davos

Karoline Simpson-Larsen seized her opportunity in Davos to take her first-ever World Cup victory, prevailing by mere seconds after a tense final lap. In a women’s distance race where several top stars, including Heidi Weng, Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson, sat out the weekend, Simpson-Larsen produced a breakthrough performance that stunned pundits.

NRK cross-country expert Torgeir Bjørn called it a “sensational” win and the best World Cup race of Simpson-Larsen’s career. Former racer Niklas Dyrhaug also expressed surprise at the result on broadcast, while Simpson-Larsen herself admitted at the finish that the victory hadn’t fully sunk in.

During the TV interview, Simpson-Larsen became emotional when her partner, Norwegian biathlete Johan Olav Botn, sent a congratulatory message shortly after he helped Norway win the men’s relay in Hochfilzen earlier in the day. “I’m really proud of you—an extremely good race,” he said. Teammate Julie Bjervig Drivenes, 11th on the day, praised Simpson-Larsen’s success as proof that strong results are possible outside the national-team setup.

On course, Astrid Øyre Slind set the early pace but lost time on a descent toward the stadium. Contrary to expectations that overall World Cup leader Jessie Diggins might close, the American lost time to both Norwegians as the race progressed. In the final run-in, Simpson-Larsen had the most left, finishing 2.1 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Moa Ilar, with Øyre Slind third a tenth behind Ilar.

Experts argued the performance strengthens Simpson-Larsen’s claim to an Olympic start at this distance. Simpson-Larsen credited years of steady training and a solid altitude program for her rise, noting this is her second year focusing on altitude camps and that increased confidence has helped convert form into results.