Dramatic Collision Involving Norwegian Cross-Country Skiers: It Was Dramatic

Dramatic Collision Involving Norwegian Cross-Country Skiers: It Was Dramatic

On a day marked by Julie Myhre's sensational second place finish, a serious incident overshadowed the event. A dramatic situation unfolded when athletes encountered difficulties while racing downhill in Ruka.

“I think everyone was a bit in shock over what happened. We don’t know exactly what caused it,” said Hedda Østberg Amundsen when addressing the aftermath with NRK.

Amundsen, Appelkvist Stenseth, and Svahn all sped off track at high speed during the sprint. Remarkably, Svahn navigated around people and trees, but the atmosphere turned tense when she finally reached the finish line, dissatisfied with the circumstances.

“She was disappointed that I didn’t stop at the finish to check on her. But I honestly didn’t process it at all. Everything went black for me too,” Stenseth recounted.

Svahn briefly conveyed what the two discussed post-incident, noting, “It was unfortunate for both of us.”

“She mentioned you were a bit disappointed that she didn’t wait for you at the finish?”

“More about how anyone can end up crashing like that... It was clear for all of us that the conditions were dangerous. It was incredibly sad that it impacted her as well. It raises questions about priorities for safety when things get this close to potentially disastrous outcomes. But she honestly didn't know I had crashed, so I understood her perspective.”

Safety Concerns Raised

NRK's cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland also questioned the safety protocols in place for the race. “Looking at the images, there’s no doubt that safety nets should have been erected there. Unfortunately, it was Stenseth who triggered the situation,” remarked the expert.

However, Svahn disagrees with Aukland and stated that she prefers not having safety nets in that scenario as it could make things worse. “For me, I think it was better this way than having a net to crash into. Things can move so fast in this track. I hope my skis are fine as well,” stated the Swedish skier.

Preserving Health

Having previously dealt with injuries from crashes, Svahn left the dramatic situation unscathed. Aukland praised her skiing skills for managing the fall.

“She preserved her health, simply put. Of course she is frustrated, but she’s okay overall,” added Aukland.

Svahn cannot quite explain what occurred on the track.

“I don’t know. It might have been an icy spot that caused it. It ended up being a domino effect that led to the crashes. I was actually on my feet, but then I flew right off into the woods,” remarked the Swedish athlete to the press.

“That could’ve gone really wrong,” observed NRK commentator Jann Post.