VM-draum knust for Helene Marie Fossesholm: – Føler eg er på veg ned i eit svart hol

After a strong performance at the national championships, Helene Marie Fossesholm still held out hope for the World Championships. However, her dreams were seemingly dashed during the quarterfinals of the sprint event in Engadin, Switzerland, where she had a collision with Swiss skier Nadine Fähndrich early in the race, losing significant ground and finishing 24 seconds behind the leaders.

Post-race, a visibly upset Fossesholm described the emotional toll, saying, "I usually have a good mood, but it's hard to swallow this right now." Immediately following the incident, she went to the change area, squatting down with her head in her hands, reflecting her frustration and disappointment at the missed opportunity to compete at the World Championships in Trondheim.

Fossesholm revealed that the pain of not participating was particularly acute as this was a crucial race for her chances to compete in the sprint events at the upcoming championships. She expressed that it was challenging to maintain a positive outlook following such a setback.

Reflecting on her injury that had sidelined her earlier in the season, she recalled the moment she dislocated her kneecap during a football tournament, saying it was an experience that evoked intense pain and fear about her skiing future. Despite the long recovery, her determination brought her to the national championships, where she secured a silver medal.

However, the quarterfinal loss at the World Cup highlighted the fierce competition, and her thoughts are clouded with uncertainty about her position in the World Championship lineup. Nadia Fähndrich's unexpected collision played a crucial role in the setback, and now the prospect of competing in Trondheim seems further away as she deals with the aftermath of the incident.