Cross-country skier Nadja Kälin impresses at the World Championships in Trondheim with 6th place in the skiathlon in a dramatic race. The audience is treated to great sport with a Hitchcock finale.
02.03.2025, 15:06
02.03.2025, 16:11
SDA
Nadja Kälin first had to get used to this a little. On the long way through the mixed zone, the Swiss athlete had to stop again and again in the continuous Norwegian rain to give information in English. Her strong performance did not go unnoticed by international observers. After all, she was "best of the rest" behind three Norwegians and two Swedes.
Kälin finished 1:16 minutes behind the winner Ebba Andersson after 10 km in both the classic and skating techniques. The Swede successfully defended her World Championship title. And Kälin confirmed her exploit from mid-February in Falun, where she achieved her best World Cup result to date by far in eighth place at the main World Championship rehearsal in the skiathlon. The 23-year-old from the Engadin has finally reached new dimensions. She remained in the top ten throughout the race.
Incredible crowd and brilliant skis
"I can't quite believe it," said the Grisons native, overwhelmed. "It was incredible to run in front of so many people. And we had brilliant skis." When it came to the third and final classic lap, she thought she didn't actually want to be at the front of the chasing group so that she wouldn't like the skating part. "But suddenly we were just a small group. And with the skis, I always knew that I would quickly catch up again on the downhill sections."
Nadine Fähndrich, the World Championship bronze medallist in the sprint, had to drop out of the chasing group after changing skis after 10 km and finished in 14th place. Anja Weber finished 19th and thus also ensured a strong team result. However, all three Swiss women were never in the leading group with the top Scandinavian skiers. Therese Johaug set off like a fire engine and immediately tore the field apart.
Swedes again the spoilsport
However, Ebba Andersson prevailed over Johaug in a sprint that was hard to beat in terms of drama. The winner had to be determined by photo finish. Both athletes were classified with the same time, a few centimeters decided gold and silver.
The 36-year-old Johaug thus missed out on her first World Championship gold medal after her maternity leave. Bronze went to sprint winner Jonna Sundling. She had lost the connection after a fall at the beginning of the final lap.
Norway's women also suffered a defeat against the Swedes in the second cross-country race of these World Championships. The losers once again included World Cup leader Jessie Diggins from the USA. As in the sprint, her equipment did not work in the rain and on a heavily salted track.
