Norwegians have long been dominating the ski sport internationally and this year was no exception for Norway’s cross-country teams, both for the men’s and women’s. The old saying that Norwegians are “born with skis” seems to have been borne out.
Not only did Norway’s downhill racers top the World Cup in alpine skiing, the cross-country skiers did the same in Nordic skiing. Norwegian skiers won 93 World Cup Nordic events this season, with Therese Johaug winning the overall World Cup for women once again as did Martin Johnsrud Sundby.
“No one has ever won as many World Cup events as they did this year,” Tom A Schanke, a sports historian, told newspaper Aftenposten. All told, Norwegian skiers were on the winners’ podium 261 times, with gold medals in 55 Nordic events, 20 alpine events, nine combined events (ski jumping and skiing), seven ski jumping events and two freestyle events.
“Yes, it’s been a phenomenal season,” Erik Røste, president of Norway’s national skiing federation (Norges Skiforbund), told Aftenposten. “We are a nation of skiers.”
newsinenglish.no staff
