Ski World Championships: Exotics Create Curious Scenes

Curious Scenes at the World Championships

During the qualification for the freestyle sprint at the Nordic Ski World Championships in Trondheim, there was a lot of action on both the men's and women's sides, with several unique stories emerging.

The championships have officially kicked off in Trondheim. In front of approximately 20,000 spectators, the qualification round for the women’s freestyle sprint took place first, followed by the men’s round later on. By 12:30, the decisions for the freestyle sprint were to be made. In the prologue, the gap between the top athletes and the underdogs widened significantly.

Some of the later starters caught the eye with their remarkable stories. On the men’s side, for instance, a 61-year-old competitor from Malta completed the 1.4 km qualification course. Frederick Crosetto ended with the slowest time (+2:37.79), yet for the oldest participant in cross-country skiing, simply finishing was a major success.

Shortly before the finish line in the men’s race, another competitor suffered a fall. Matt Smith from South Africa, despite his fall, still managed to cross the finish line with a time of (+1:11.84).

Portuguese Competitor with a Massive Gap

On the women’s side, a Portuguese skier was particularly notable as the final starter who managed to drag herself across the finish line. Mariana Cabrita finished over three minutes behind the winner, Jonna Sundling (+3:11.89). She struggled on the downhill V-style and, after crossing the finish line, collapsed in exhaustion.

Underdogs Celebrated by the Crowd

Before her, athletes such as Jeanne Darc Tawk (+2:36.52) from Lebanon and Celine Marti from Haiti (+2:21.29) encountered major difficulties in reaching the finish. It was evident that the underdogs were running out of steam in the final meters.

Nonetheless, the message was clear: just participating is an achievement. In countries like Portugal, Haiti, or Lebanon – which are not considered major skiing nations – making it to the finish is a matter of pride. The Norwegian crowd gave these athletes a warm reception, celebrating these moments that exemplify the spirit of the world championships.