Philip Lindkvist-Flötten has decided to switch nationalities and will now represent Sweden in biathlon, according to multiple reports. He is relocating from Lillehammer, Norway, to Östersund, Sweden, to train with the Swedish team. According to SVT Nyheter, Lindkvist-Flötten described the move as a dream come true and expressed hope to be selected for the Swedish A-team.
Lindkvist-Flötten enjoyed a successful junior season, winning three medals at the Junior World Championships. He made his World Cup debut in Holmenkollen, finishing 68th in the sprint. The young biathlete now aims to break into the Swedish senior squad and compete at the highest level.
I vomit in tough situations. It's part of sport.
Lindkvist-Flötten hopes to be selected for the Swedish A-team, according to reports.
Suvi Minkkinen has earned over 180,000 euros in prize money this World Cup season, according to multiple sources. She can earn up to 50,000 euros in bonuses at Holmenkollen if she maintains second place in the overall cup and wins the pursuit. Minkkinen's company Minkkis Media had a revenue of about 301,000 euros and a profit of about 148,700 euros last fiscal year, according to reports.
He can surprise. He has enormous capacity in the track.
Minkkinen finished 11th in the Holmenkollen sprint, losing the chance to win the overall World Cup. She leads the pursuit cup by 20 points over Lou Jeanmonnot, according to sources.
Johan-Olav Botn won the men's mass start in Holmenkollen, vomiting after crossing the finish line. According to Ilta-Sanomat, Botn described vomiting as a normal part of tough races. He finished third in the men's overall World Cup standings, capping a strong season.
His challenge is at the shooting range, but his cross-country skiing is enormous and he has very good physical test results.
Siegfried Mazet is leaving the Norwegian team after ten years to join the French team, according to multiple reports. According to NRK Sport, Mazet described his move as possibly joining the women's team. Mazet has been a key part of Norwegian biathlon since 2016.
Sturla Holm Lægreid's winning streak was broken in the men's mass start; he finished fourth. Lisa Vittozzi won the women's mass start, breaking Hanna Öberg's winning streak. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold finished fifth, equaling her season best.
He will make an assessment with the national team doctor on Tuesday and travel on Wednesday if he goes.
Rihards Lozbers, aged 16, finished 21st in the sprint and became the youngest ever to score World Cup points. According to SVT Sport, Lozbers described being very happy with his shooting and result.
The Norwegian biathlon team for the World Cup final in Holmenkollen has been announced, according to multiple reports. The women's team includes Juni Arnekleiv, Marthe Kråkstad Johansen, Maren Hjelmeset Kirkeeide, Karoline Offigstad Knotten, Gro Randby, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, and Karoline Erdal. The men's team includes Johan-Olav Smørdal Botn, Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, Isak Leknes Frey, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, Sturla Holm Lægreid, Martin Uldal, Sverre Dahlen Aspenes, and Ole Tafjord Suhrke.
Part of the assessment is the flight itself; Klæbo got transport home to Trondheim on Friday.
Ola Tafjord Suhrke is among those selected and will make his World Cup debut. According to NRK Sport, Suhrke described the opportunity as fun and cool to debut on home ground. He finished the IBU Cup season strongly in Lake Placid with four podium finishes. According to NRK Sport, Suhrke expressed hope to do good ski races and gain learning and experience.
NRK's biathlon expert Ola Lunde thinks Suhrke can surprise, according to NRK Sport. Lunde described Suhrke as having enormous capacity in the track. Suhrke finished fourth in the mass start in Lake Placid despite eight penalty loops. He has long shown he is a strong cross-country skier and made his World Cup debut in cross-country in Lillehammer last season. According to NRK Sport, Lunde described Suhrke's challenge as at the shooting range, but his cross-country skiing is enormous and he has very good physical test results.
The World Cup final in Holmenkollen starts with the women's sprint on Thursday. Meanwhile, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo will decide on Tuesday whether he can participate in the World Cup final in Lake Placid this weekend, according to multiple reports. According to NRK Sport, Klæbo's media advisor Lasse Gimnes described that Klæbo will make an assessment with the national team doctor on Tuesday and travel on Wednesday if he goes. Klæbo suffered a mild concussion when he fell in the sprint in Drammen on Thursday. According to NRK Sport, Gimnes described that part of the assessment is the flight itself; Klæbo got transport home to Trondheim on Friday. Klæbo's appointments with six American media on Monday and Tuesday this week have been cancelled. Klæbo has already won the overall World Cup and the sprint cup; to also win the distance cup he must go to the USA. Harald Østberg Amundsen took the lead in the distance cup after Klæbo had to skip Saturday's 50 km in Holmenkollen. As World Cup leader, Klæbo has a free spot in the World Cup; his participation does not affect the rest of the Norwegian team selection.
The last events of the Norwegian Cup cross-country skiing weekend in Gålå took place in extreme temperatures of -17.3°C at the coldest point of the course, according to reports. The polar conditions forced organizers to cancel the para cross-country skiing races scheduled earlier in the morning. In the women's 10 km individual skate (shortened), Julie Bjervig Drivenes won with more than 15 seconds ahead of Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen. Nora Sanness finished third, 25 seconds behind the leader. In the men's race, Finn-Haagen Krogh achieved the best performance, winning with a little over 9 seconds ahead of Henrik Doennestad.