February 8, 2025

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Young Norwegians on the Rise

Young Norwegians on the Rise

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Bente Bjørnsen Sherlock

Photo: Inni Holm Wembstad. GEPA.

An increased focus on youth, female skiers and the speed disciplines lies behind the selection of the 34 skiers named to the 2022/23 Norwegian alpine ski teams, according to the Ski Federation.

Young Norwegians Lucas Braathen and Atle Lie McGrath, born in 2000, have impressed with top World Cup results during the past few ski seasons. When Braathen won his first World Cup race in October 2020, he became the youngest racer ever to win on the demanding giant slalom course in Sölden, Austria. 

Lucas Braathen. Photo: GEPA pictures

Though such a speedy ascent to the top is uncommon, next season might offer new Vikings to watch. At the risk of not mentioning potential big surprises, here are a few young Norwegian national team newcomers to watch during the 2022-23 season:

Inni Holm Wembstad (YOB 2000): After placing first and second in the November 2021 slalom and giant slalom FIS races in Levi, Finland, Wembstad accumulated six top 10 finishes in Europa Cup downhill competitions throughout the season. She crowned her season placing first and second in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana Europa Cup downhill races. Those results earned Wembstad her first World Cup downhill start at the same venue a week later. Wembstad finished second in the 2022 Europa Cup downhill standings.

Markus Nordgaard Fossland (YOB 1999): Fossland delivered four top 10 results in Europa Cup speed competitions, including a victory and a third place in super-G. He finished fourth in the 2022 Europa Cup super-G standings. After his debut performance at the World Cup 2021 with two races in Val Gardena, Italy, he also gained World Cup experience during the three March speed World Cup races in Kvitfjell, Norway.

Theodor Brækken (YOB 2004): Brækken, listed as Braekken internationally, won several FIS races in slalom and giant slalom this past season. During April’s Norwegian national championships, the young skier made an impression with his results: alpine combined fourth, giant slalom fifth, slalom 10th, and downhill 11th.

Alexander Steen Olsen. Photo: GEPA pictures

Fredrik Møller (YOB 2000): Møller, listed as Moeller internationally, has achieved a variety of top10 FIS results, topping the FIS season with a victory in giant slalom and podium finishes in giant slalom and super-G races in April. He was also impressive during the Norwegian national championships, placing third in alpine combined and fourth in downhill.

Alexander Steen Olsen (YOB 2001): Nicknamed “Sander,” Olsen is not new to the national team, but is young and very notable. He won the 2022 Junior World Championships in both giant slalom and slalom, then followed it up with 10th in giant slalom and 16th in slalom at the World Cup Finals (after starting last in both first runs). In April, he continued to crush his competitors by winning the Norwegian national champion titles in giant slalom and slalom, beating strong skiers like Kristoffersen, McGrath, and Foss Solevåg.

Specific development projects

In the fall of 2021, the Norwegian Ski Federation started a project focused on the long-term development of new speed-discipline skiers by offering quality training through on-snow training camps. The first training camp took place in November 2021, where 20 invited athletes (10 women and 10 men) trained downhill for five days. Through a mutual plan with ski academies around Norway, the Federation is attempting to create a speed-discipline culture and to transfer the quality knowledge that lies within the Attacking Vikings teams onto developing skiers. Another goal is to educate more coaches on how to conduct quality speed training. This specific speed education initiative will continue through 2025.

According to the Norwegian Ski Federation, it will introduce a training project for young female skiers this spring. The initiative will create opportunities for female athletes to come together from across the nation at skiing and dryland camps while remaining in their home programs. The goal is to increase the development level of young female athletes and produce high-achieving Europa Cup women competitors.



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