World Cross Country Championships Sundling – Skistad 27-2-2025

Finally, the Nordic World Championships are here! The 2025 World Championships will be held in Trondheim, 28 years since the last World Championships were held here. The sprint is on the program, and we can expect close duels and a lot of drama. The course is demanding, with two uphill sections that will strain the runners' strength. Here it is important to play to your strengths and be smart. The speed will be high towards the finish, so it will be a great advantage to come from behind if you have not managed to shake off your competitors before then.

Ski town

The Konnerud girl has had a somewhat uneven season. She has struggled with injuries and illness, and did not get the start to the season she had hoped for. She made her debut in the World Cup in Lillehammer, where she came in 4th in the prologue, but had to retire because she was not feeling well. After Lillehammer, it was more than a month before we saw her on the starting line in the Norwegian National Championships, where she won as expected. After that, she has had strong performances in the World Cup, with 1st place in Les Rousses, 2nd place in Engadin and 3rd place in Falun.

Although Skistad won the World Cup Trials here last year, it is likely that she would have preferred an easier course if she had the choice. She is a tactician of the highest order, and very good at conserving energy when possible. Many have a lot to learn from her strategic approach. On the run, she is unbeatable and has a top speed that few can match. Her big weakness is her endurance. If some Swedish runners set a high pace from the start, the tough slopes can wear her down.

Sundowning

The Swedish girl has been Skistad's biggest competitor for the last 2-3 years. Sundling took sprint gold in Oberstdorf in 2021 and Planica in 2023, and can now secure her 3rd World Cup gold in a row - something only Marit Bjørgen has managed before her.

Her season has been solid. Sundling has won all the speed sprints this year, and although she and Skistad have only met once in speed sprints this year – namely in Engadin, where Sundling won – the Swede’s dominance has been clear. Sundling skipped the last sprint race before the World Championships in Falun to prepare, but she went extremely fast in the Swedish championships, where she crushed strong runners like Hägström and Ribom by over 10 seconds.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Sundling has good sprinting ability, and it is important that she exploits this strength if she is to beat Skistad. I think that the fairly tough course could allow Sundling to go from Skistad and thus have a good chance of finishing before Skistad. Skistad is tactically smart and can get ahead in the heats to slow down, but it seems that Sundling has now found the key to handling the heats in the best possible way. To win, you have to go out with a high pace from the start. Considering the demanding course and Sundling's strong season, it looks like a good bet.
Betting suggestion:

Norway at 10:00: Jonna Sundling – Kristine Stavås Skistad: Jonna Sundling (1.90).