SJUSJØEN (VG) TV 2 experts Peter Northug and Peter Skinstad last week criticized participation in figure skating competitions at the Blink Festival. Now they are supported by Johannes Husfluth Klæbo.
– I did not initially plan to go to Blink regardless of whether everything was fine. But I think it’s important that we think we make a living out of this. It’s important that we stand up, Klæbo tells VG.
The 25-year-old experienced a turbulent summer with one summer A hamstring injury he hasn’t recovered yet. When VG meets him in Sjusjøen, the focus is on getting rid of the injury and getting back to good training.
But although he did not make the trip to Sundance and Blinkfestivalen, he absorbed the criticism that followed from Skeenstad and Northog.
All national team runners, regardless of gender, whether you are a member of an elite team or an enlisted national team, must participate in all televised ski races. every year. Kinstadt TV 2 expert said it’s their profession VG Thursday last week.
Then he and a number of the national team guys crossed the finish line in the nearly five-mile Blink Classic during the Blink Festival. So did Ragnhild Haga, as the only female sprinter out of a total of 11 female runners in the national team. Northough described everything as “very bad”.
The interest and publicity for cross-country skiing is what Skinstad and Northug are highlighting as the argument that more people should run.
– It is clear that they certainly have a point of view of the fact that it is important that we stand up and contribute. Every one of us in the national team is bound to do so, says Klæbo, who earlier this summer went snowboarding in Telemarksveka and Totenrullen. Toppidrettsveka will attend at the end of August if all goes according to plan.
The duo also had the support of national team sprinter Helen Marie Vossholm when it came to promoting the sport, but she still didn’t want to fully go ahead after the criticism.
We know there are always reasons why people don’t get involved. When you enter competitions, you have to be prepared for them, Fossesholm tells VG and continues:
– For my part, I’ve been to Blink eight years in a row previously, and I’ve missed a lot. I’d be more than happy to go there, but I can’t go there to do something bloody stupid. Because I haven’t had any hard sessions in a long time. The tough sessions started a month and a half ago, and then you have to take the steps.
Where there was only one athlete from the women’s team, about half of the men’s runners were present.
Of course we want to be visible in most arenas and competitions are some of the best exercises. I know now, as was said on TV, it was something special with a former female national teammate of the girls who got married on the same weekend, as quite a few were naturally invited. Things like this can’t be planned, all-round men’s coach Eric Mer-Nosom tells VG.
The World Cup begins in Finland’s Ruka on 25 November.
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