Young cross-country skiers from twelve less established cross-country skiing nations are in Falun this week for FIS Training Camp.
“It’s great to be here and get the chance to test the World Championship courses,” says Brazilian skier Guilherme Morais.
There is a strong international presence at the roller-ski tracks at Lugnet right now. FIS Training Camp is taking place throughout the week, a training camp where athletes aged 15–19 and coaches from less established cross-country skiing nations have the opportunity to meet and develop their skills, including ski technique.
The entire training camp is funded by the Falun 2027 World Championship organisation.
“As an organiser, we feel it is important to contribute to the development of cross-country skiing around the world. And it is great to welcome 44 athletes and their coaches to Falun,” says Tobias Söderberg Jönsson, Head of Sports at Falun 2027.
One of the coaches at the camp is multiple world champion in roller skiing Emanuele Becchis.
“FIS Training Camp is a project that has been running for many years and contributes to the development of both athletes and coaches from less established cross-country skiing nations. It is also a great source of motivation for the participants to come to Falun and see the venue where this winter’s World Championships, as well as the Junior and U23 World Championships in the coming years, will be held,” says Becchis.
What will you be focusing on during the week?
“For the athletes, we will focus a lot on technique, both classic and skating. We will also do running sessions, strength training and alternative training. In addition, we coach the coaches on how they can help their athletes progress in their development.”
How many of the athletes taking part in FIS Training Camp do you think will return to Falun to compete at the 2028 Junior or U23 World Championships?
“My guess is that most of them will return to Falun in a year and a half to compete.”
Ledare är Lara Peyrot, Gilberto Panisi, Emanuele Becchis, Alberto Rigoni samt Alessio Giancola. Foto: Mårten Lång/Falun 2027
The participants at FIS Training Camp in Falun come from Brazil, Estonia, Ireland, Iceland, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Chinese Taipei and Hungary.
Among the participants who have travelled the furthest is Brazilian Guilherme Morais.
“We have just completed our first session on the roller-ski tracks. It was a fun course, and it is also great to come here and meet athletes from other countries. Cross-country skiing is quite a small sport in Brazil, so it is great to be able to train and meet other cross-country skiers,” says Morais.
His compatriot Felicia Morgan, who lives in Switzerland, is another of the participants.
“This is the first time I have been on roller skis. I have only skied on snow before, so it was a little unfamiliar. But it was a lot of fun. Developing my technique on roller skis, and of course also in cross-country skiing, is one of my goals for the week. It will also be very exciting to gain an insight into how skiers from other countries train,” says Morgan.
