A Lighthearted Rivalry: Swedish Skiers Playfully Prank Their Norwegian Counterparts at Tour de Ski

In an entertaining twist at the Tour de Ski, Norwegian skier Tiril Udnes Weng stirred the pot by selecting the cheeky tune “We Can Buy the Whole of Sweden if We Want” to be played at the stadium. This choice did not sit well with Swedish skiers Maja Dahlqvist and Frida Karlsson, who quickly responded with a playful prank of their own.

“We noticed that Tiril had chosen the song,” Karlsson explained. “So, we decided to switch it to 'Without Sweden, Norway Would Be Nothing' by SamTheMan.”

This light-hearted exchange occurred just before yesterday’s sprint, where Dahlqvist secured a second-place finish and Karlsson came in fifth. Such playful antics are encouraged by the FIS, allowing athletes to select music to pump up the atmosphere before their races.

Initially, Weng and her Norwegian teammates had opted for the upbeat song by Soppgirobygget, which was also blaring from the team's car as they arrived at the venue. “It’s a song that gets the energy going and matches the pre-race vibe,” Weng said with a chuckle.

Noticing the bold choice by their Norwegian rivals, Dahlqvist and Karlsson switched it out for their own song. "I was surprised that FIS allowed the switching of songs," Dahlqvist remarked. "When they picked 'We Can Buy the Whole of Sweden if We Want,' I thought, ‘No way!’ But it was disappointing when they eventually changed it back. I felt a bit sad about that.”

Reinforcing the sentiment, Karlsson added, “Although we made our switch to 'Without Sweden, Norway Would Be Nothing,' we later saw that Tiril switched it back, which was kind of disappointing.”

In the spirit of healthy competition, this exchange highlights the playful rivalry between the Swedish and Norwegian skiing teams, bringing a smile to both the athletes and the audience alike.