The sixth and final world championship gold in women's cross-country skiing in Trondheim also goes to Sweden. Frida Karlsson wins the 50 km race ahead of the Norwegians Heidi Weng and Therese Johaug.
09.03.2025, 14:27
09.03.2025, 14:28
SDA
The women's World Championship premiere over this distance was not only a special challenge because of its length. The external conditions, with snowfall and rain at the start and a course where the soft ground was several centimeters high in places, demanded everything from the skiers.
The 25-year-old Frida Karlsson had the greatest reserves of strength at the end of the two-hour and 24-minute battle and secured her third World Championship title, the first in an individual race. In Trondheim, she had been a member of the Swedish team that had won the prestigious duel against the Norwegians in the relay competition.
Frida Karlsson's compatriot Ebba Andersson also had the chance to win the title. However, the three-time gold medal winner at this World Championships crashed shortly before the finish.
Therese Johaug had been expected to prevent the total triumph of the Swedes and save the honor of the local skiers after all. However, the Norwegian, who returned to top-class sport this winter two and a half years after her retirement with the big goal of the World Championships in her own country, missed the last opportunity in her fourth appearance these days. In her previous three appearances, the 14-time world champion had to settle for the silver medal.
Nadja Kälin, the only Swiss athlete in the small field of 32 participants, finished the race in 8th place, marking a successful personal finish. The Grisons native left Trondheim with a very pleasing result. She had already impressed in the skiathlon with 6th place and in the ten-kilometer race in the classic technique with 8th place.
