Norway versus Sweden: This is the rivalry in cross-country skiing that moves Austria and Switzerland in alpine skiing. As neighbors, they actually like each other - and yet they don't begrudge each other anything in sport.
04.03.2025, 04:00
04.03.2025, 08:03
SDA
The city guide points to the old bridge behind her and explains: "Trondheim is excellently protected on three sides, on two sides by the river, on one by the fjord. And to the east, there is..." The outstretched arm is followed by an ominous pause. Then: "Sweden."
The storyteller does not mean the cross-country skiers from the neighboring country, of course, but refers to various wars between Sweden and Norway and the time in the 19th century when the Swedish king also ruled over Norway. The two countries in the north have a very special relationship. They are similar, most foreigners group the Scandinavian nations together anyway. They also speak almost the same language and share a great passion: cross-country skiing. And that's why there's a lot of rivalry, especially when a World Cup is being held in one of the two countries, as is the case now. That's when nerves get frayed.
Klaebo's answer
At the end of January, spectators in the Engadin were able to observe a little bit of this sometimes more, sometimes less malicious banter. At the World Cup in Silvaplana, Norwegian star Johannes Klaebo won the sprint with his usual superiority, slowed down again shortly before the finish line and demonstratively looked back.
The explanation: a week earlier, the up-and-coming Swede Edvin Anger had won the sprint in Les Rousses ahead of three Norwegians - in Klaebo's absence. Afterwards, Anger complained that Klaebo had not congratulated him. "I wanted to see if there was someone I should congratulate, but there was no one there." Anger came second in the Engadin by a respectful margin.
The former Norwegian serial winner Petter Northug, who was the bigger provocateur than the more sociable Klaebo anyway, also liked to rub shoulders with the Swede, not least with four gold medals at their home World Championships in Falun in 2015. For several years, the rivalry was very one-sided. Norway has dominated the winter sports for a long time, while Sweden went through a rather difficult phase.
Sweden's women on a high
Thanks to the cross-country skiers, however, the tide has turned somewhat. Overall - especially in combined and ski jumping, which do not play a role in Sweden - the Norwegians are clearly ahead. In cross-country skiing, however, the victories have so far been evenly distributed. Two gold medals for Klaebo in the men's event, gold for the Swedes Jonna Sundling and Ebba Andersson in the women's event.
The nice thing is that while the tabloid media on both sides of the border sometimes lose their decorum and composure, the competition among the spectators always remains peaceful. Even when Andersson outdid national heroine and 14-time world champion Therese Johaug by a few millimetres in Sunday's skiathlon, there was respectful applause for the Swede.
At the World Championships in Norway, the fans not only celebrate their country with the omnipresent little flags in blue, red and white, they also celebrate their national sport first and foremost. That's why tens of thousands of them - including the royal family - make the pilgrimage to Trondheim's local mountain, Granasen, even when the weather is at its worst.
Out in all weathers
Norway's dominance really began with the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, the last in rural areas before gigantism took over. Since then, a lot of money has flowed into top-class sport in the country, which is rich mainly thanks to oil, so the country is almost always at the top of its game when it comes to technology and equipment. People like Klaebo (11 world championship titles, 4 Olympic victories), Johaug (14/4), biathlon king Johannes Thingnes Bö (23/5) or combined skier Jarl Magnus Riiber (10 x world champion) are superstars in the land of the fjords and have become millionaires thanks to sport.
It is not least the enthusiasm for sport among the general population that forms the basis for these successes. The Norwegians call their attitude "Friluftsliv". Outdoor life, going out and doing sport in all weathers.
But there is hope for the competition from Sweden. Bö, Johaug and Riiber are ending their careers this spring, and the next World Championships will take place in Falun in two years' time. We can look forward to more teasing.
