Madshus caught up with Endre Strømsheim, the 27-year-old Norwegian who has gone from dominating the races at the start of the season to list filler over the course of just a couple of weeks, and why he’s not too worried.
“Something's wrong,” Strømsheim admits.
While his teammates were using the Christmas break to sharpen their form, last year’s rising star has stayed home to rest. And he’s still resting.
This Christmas break was very different for Strømsheim compared to last year. Back then, he was in killer shape. After earning his first World Cup podium in Lenzerheide (SUI) just before Christmas 2023, he trained at high altitude to prepare for the New Year’s World Cup round.
His hard work paid off—he won his first individual World Cup race, the pursuit in Oberhof (GER), just a few weeks later. And for the most part, the rest of the winter followed suit.
This season seemed like it was going to more of the same. Strømsheim looked unbeatable at the national season opener in Sjusjøen (NOR) in November, and again at the first World Cup event in Kontiolahti two weeks later. Everything was going great.
“The season started great, both in Sjusjøen and with a win in my first individual World Cup victory the week after. I thought I had timed everything perfectly this year,” Strømsheim says.
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Photo by: NSSF
The nosedive in Austria
But then suddenly, Strømsheim’s body stopped responding, and his performances took a nosedive.
The Hochfilzen World Cup in Austria in mid-December, was a rollercoaster. Strømsheim finished 4th in the sprint but dropped to 28th in the pursuit.
The following week in Annecy, France, was even worse. He placed 35th in the sprint and decided to head home after that.
What happened in Hochfilzen?
“That’s a good question. I had one good result and one bad result. I got 4th in the sprint, just seven seconds behind the winner. But I didn’t feel great during the race, and the next day, I realized my form was completely gone,” he explains.
Despite his struggles, Strømsheim decided to race in Annecy, but after another poor performance, he was sure something was wrong.
“When your performance keeps going in the wrong direction, it’s not smart to keep competing,” he says.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
Something’s Off
Strømsheim reveals that he has felt off ever since the World Cup opener in Finland. His resting heart rate is high, and he feels out of shape, even though there’s no clear or obvious cause.
“My body just hasn’t been working. I don’t know what’s wrong - it’s all been vague, with no clear signs of illness. But when you feel like this for a long time, you know something’s wrong, and the best thing to do is rest,” he says.
He’s already had blood tests and medical checkups to rule out illness.
So, what are you doing now?
“What’s happened has happened. My body isn’t right, so I need to rest until I feel balanced again. I know that when I’m back to normal, I can handle a lot of training,” Strømsheim says.
He doesn’t blame his demanding training program, which includes long, intense sessions inspired by triathlon and track athletes.
“If it were the training, I’d have muscular problems. But this feels more like my whole system is struggling,” he says.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
Looking Ahead
Despite his challenges, Strømsheim isn’t worried about losing his spot on the World Cup team.
“I don’t see any reason for that as long as my fitness comes back,” he says.
Now, Strømsheim is hoping to bounce back quickly, as he has big plans for the coming weeks.
“I’m aiming to return to form for the World Cup in Oberhof, Germany, in mid-January. Then, there’s the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, in February, where I really want to perform well,” he says.
Lenzerheide holds a lot of promise for Strømsheim. Although his last two World Championships didn’t go as planned, he’s determined to turn things around.
“I’ve had good races in Lenzerheide before. The courses there suit me well, and I ski fast there,” he says,
But with only six spots available on the team, competition is fierce. That’s why the next two World Cup events will be crucial. After the World Cup races in Ruhpolding, Germany, from January 15 though 19, the team for the World Championships will be finalized. The 2025 World Championships in Lenzerheide will take place from February 12 through 23.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
A new weapon in his quiver
To snag that spot on the Championship team, Strømsheim must be on the top of his game again. But he’s not that worried. He has a new weapon in his quiver.
“I feel super confident in my gear, both the skis which are super-fast, but also the new Skate-X binding system. It’s really amazing, and it totally gives you an extra gear, and an extra level of confidence.,” Strømsheim says, and adds:
“The Skate-X binding system was first released just a couple of weeks before the 2024 IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. Then, on day one of the Championships, Sturla (Holm Lægreid) wins the gold medal on skis with the new system.”
Can you explain how the new Skate-X binding system improves your performance?
“With the Skate-X binding system, the boot connected to the ski under the ball of your foot, more like cycling shoe. There’s no delay in the flex (the rubber block that usually bends at the tip of the binding), and you get a faster rebound. The ski never feels like it’s sticking in soft conditions, and it’s just an overall smoother and more efficient feeling.”
Independent, third-party testing confirms Strømsheim’s experiences:
“We found a significant positive effect of using the Skate-X bindings compared to the old NNN bindings. The athletes were several seconds faster with the Skate-X bindings,” the independent researchers report.
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