Surprising return after "emergency surgery": – Feared it would take longer

Surprising return after "emergency surgery": – Feared it would take longer

Kristine Stavås Skistad (25) has been selected to compete in the sprint at Lillehammer this weekend, which is much earlier than anticipated.

It was announced on November 12 that Skistad needed to undergo abdominal surgery and would be out indefinitely. She missed the national season opening at Beitostølen and was also not expected to participate in the Ruka races over the past weekend, with a return forecasted for January.

However, she is now back on the start line for the upcoming World Cup weekend at Lillehammer, where she will compete in Saturday's sprint in free technique.

– The rehabilitation phase after the operation has gone very well. We were fearful it would take longer, but her body has cooperated. She has managed to complete the training sessions we deemed necessary before it was even sensible to think about competing. Now it is medically sound, says Skistad's coach Lage Sofienlund.

Norwegian Ski Federation head coach Ulf Morten Aune added: – We are very happy that things have worked out as they have, and that she feels ready to compete already this weekend.

In addition, Didrik Tønseth and Kalvå will also be competing in Lillehammer after not performing well at the national season opening. They will both participate in the 10-kilometer free technique race on Friday and the 20-kilometer skiathlon on Sunday.

Norge is hosting the event in Lillehammer, allowing for an expanded quota of participants. Winners from the national cup races last weekend in Gålå are directly qualified, as are select U23 competitors.

Ruka winners Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Harald Østberg Amundsen are also set to compete in Lillehammer, along with athletes like Therese Johaug and Heidi Weng.

Klæbo won the classic sprint in Ruka but had to withdraw from Sunday's 20-kilometer mass start in free technique due to a slight cold.

The schedule for Lillehammer includes the 10-kilometer free technique on Friday, the sprint in free technique on Saturday, and the 20-kilometer skiathlon on Sunday. Only the last distance is a World Championship event in Trondheim.

The following athletes have been selected to represent Norway in Lillehammer:

10 km free technique: Women: Therese Johaug, Heidi Weng, Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs, Astrid Øyre Slind, Nora Sanness, Lotta Udnes Weng, Johanne Hauge Harviken, Silje Theodorsen, Anne Kjersti Kalvå, Mali Eidnes Bakken, Tuva Brusveen-Jensen, Helene Marie Fossesholm. Men: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Pål Golberg, Simen Hegstad Krüger, Iver Tildheim Andersen, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Didrik Tønseth, Harald Østberg Amundsen, Andreas Fjorden Ree, Einar Hedegart, Jan Thomas Jenssen, Ole Tafjord Suhrke, Sander Haukvik Jensen.

Sprint free technique: Women: Kristine Stavås Skistad, Julie Myhre, Mathilde Skjærdalen Myhrvold, Tiril Udnes Weng, L. Udnes Weng, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth, Hedda Østberg Amundsen, Hanne Wilberg Rofstad, Amalie Håkonsen Ous, Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk, Maria Hartz Melling, Elena Rise Johnsen. Men: Klæbo, Erik Valnes, Even Northug, Håvard Solås Taugbøl, Ansgar Evensen, Magnus Øyaas Haabrekke, Amundsen, Sivert Wiig.

20 km skiathlon: Women: Johaug, Weng, Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs, Slind, Sanness, Harviken, T. Udnes Weng, Theodorsen, Kalvå. Men: Klæbo, Golberg, Krüger, Nyenget, Tønseth, Valnes, Amundsen, Ree.

© NTB