Challenges for Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson: 'It doesn't come easy today'

Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson encountered significant challenges during today's ski competition, where they experienced issues with their ski equipment.

Last weekend, Frida Karlsson finished a considerable 45 seconds ahead of Therese Johaug, but today she found herself in the opposite situation. According to Swedish ski technician Mattias Berglund, both Andersson and Karlsson expressed dissatisfaction with how their skis felt during the race.

During a press meeting after the race, the athletes hinted that the performance of their skis played a role in their struggles. Ebba stated, "You just cannot go fast enough out there. Many others manage to pick up their pace better than we did today." Despite their struggles, they have provided feedback to their support staff on the issues they faced.

Berglund confirmed that the skiers were not happy with how the skis performed, stating, "They felt it was hard to skate uphill on the skis, and we’ll be checking what went wrong to ensure better conditions next time."

With a competitive field, both athletes are determined to work harder and refine their skiing performance in future competitions, particularly as they gear up for the upcoming races in Lillehammer and beyond.

For further details, follow the ongoing coverage of cross-country skiing events this season.