The World Cup may be over, but why leave the podium?

By Inge Scheve

While most of the major international events of the season are history, there are still a number of national championships and prestigious competitions still left on the schedule all the way through April and beyond. Madshus racers are sweeping up hardware and awards on several arenas. 

Just days after the World Cup final in Falun (SWE), Sweden's turbo talent Edvin Anger was at it again. After winning the U23 World Cup by a crushing margin, the 21-year-old kicks off the Swedish national championships with three gold medals in the first four days. Then he caps off the race week in Northern Sweden with a silver medal, helping his club in the relay.

Three days later, on March 28, fellow Madshus rising star Måns Skoglund (SWE) beat the World Cup elite including Anger, as well as the long-distance pros in the famous 20-kilometer classic race “Åk en mil vinn en bil” in Sweden.

Earlier in March, the 22-year-old Skoglund also won the sprint at the Scandinavian Cup finals featuring a start list worthy of a World Cup. 

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In France, 21-year-old Maelle Veyre bags three medals from the French national cross-country championships the last week of March.  

First, she won the 42-kilometer long-distance race for the U23 category. Then she was third in the 10-kilometer U23 classic race, and finally Veyre ends up taking home the award for second overall for the entire championships. 

At the Norwegian national championships in Lillehammer, the Østberg Amundsen twins pull off a nice start to the race weekend. 

First, Hedda Østberg Amundsen and fellow Madshus racer Elena Rise Johnsen won the silver medal in the team sprint. A half hour later, Harald Østberg Amundsen secures 4th place in the men’s team sprint.

Additionally, 22-year-old Kasper Herland won Hemsedalsrennet on March 28, beating several of the Norwegian World Cup racers in the prestigious 30-kilometer skate race. Just a week and a half earlier, he won SkøyteBirken, the 54-kilometer skate race at the Birkebeinerrennet Ski festival. 

This weekend, the Norwegian biathletes gather for the National Championships in Geilo (NOR).

Additionally, the long-distance series Ski Classics features a double-header in Troms (NOR), dishing up 110 kilometers of racing in two days: Reistadløpet (50km) on Saturday and Summit 2 Senja (60km) on Sunday. Ski Classics Season XV concludes on April 13, with the 100-kilometer Grand Finale Janteloppet in Hafjell (NOR).