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In Seefeld, the Norwegian flag has reached the top 13 times. Never before has a nation been so dominant in a world championship ski.
On the men's side, Norway have created a blank table with six gold medals out of six possible, and the Norwegians have won all the individual gold medals, or four.
The head of the national team, Johan Sares, said that he could not help but take off his hat when we spoke to him the day after the end of the championship in Seefeld.
– This is not the first time, especially in men. It's impressive, says Sares.
But the Swedes are not lying on their backs after the championship.
– We will do everything we can to do something against domination.
– Always interested in cross-country skiing
Petra Thorén is the commentator of the Swedish Aftonbladet. She does not believe that Norwegian domination is detrimental to the interest of skiing in the Nordic countries.
– Here we have a real interest in cross-country skiing and we find that our readers are very interested, even though Norway is looking for gold for gold, she said.
Johanna Ojala, expert of SVT, also has this impression.
– Cross-country skiing will always attract a lot of interest in Sweden, although many people think that it's not so much fun to play on the podium with Norwegian wallpaper. Sweden's progress in women has helped, she said.
– Help the sport in the United States
Luke Bodensteiner is at the helm of the North American cross-country team and believes that the level of sport is so high that interest will continue to grow in the US despite dominance.
– It helps to improve the sport. There is now a very large number of athletes and this looks really good on TV. From our point of view, we have no gold to weave, but we have a lot of enthusiasm behind our goal of winning medals. The sport continues to grow in the United States due to the success of Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall in previous championships, said Bodensteiner.
The United States has gone home without a medal in cross-country skiing, but they have a lot of young talent. At the junior academy in Lahti, the men's team won the relay. But he thinks that Norway will continue to dominate cross-country sports in the coming years.
– I do not see how they get worse, it's a team with a lot of talent. So we have to find the athletes who can compete with the Norwegian and give them all the support possible, says Bodensteiner.
Fears for the rest of Europe
But even if the Swedes do not turn off the television screen when Norwegians leave their favorites, Thorén fears for the rest of Europe.
– I worry about what domination does with the interest of countries such as Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany. I am a little disappointed that there are no practitioners from other countries than Russia able to challenge Norway and Sweden on the women's side, Thorén said.
She does not believe that the dominance of Norwegian runners is the biggest threat to cross-country sports.
– We must not forget that doping destroys interest more than the domination of a stornato, she says.
Johanna Ojala thinks the lack of models is the biggest threat to interest in Europe.
– Germany has more models like Axel Teichmann and Poland no longer Justyna Kowalczyk. It is there that the interest fails. There must be models, otherwise the money may not be enough, says Ojala.
Thorén and Ojala believe that cross-country skiing has a bright future for Sweden, especially for women. On this, they hope that Norway will not receive as much gold at the next World Cup.
– Do you think that Norway will win ten gold medals in Oberstdorf in 2021?
– No, certainly not. Then we have Frida Karlsson and always a strong female team. But on the men's side, it's not as bright, even though they have gold grains that they have to look after, Ojala says in cash.
Believe in Sweden's future
On the women's side, Norwegian dominance is not as great as the capture of the medal would indicate. The Swedes have been dominant in sprinting so far in the season, and if you look at the talent side of the Scandinavian Cup, it is the Swedish athletes who dominate.
A sixth place at Halfvarsson Street was the best manor managed to perform in this world championship and she is worried.
– Sweden has failed to effect the generational change after Johan Olsson and Marcus Hellner. But maybe Jens Burman can go one step further. And who knows, maybe Frida Karlsson's boyfriend, William Poromaa, will challenge Norway in the future. But it's not as bright in men as it is in women, she says.
The head of the national team, Johan Sares, agrees.
– There are often more girls than boys in the field of youth. We had great models, like Charlotte Kalla, who made her popular. We must also try to return to the side of men, says Sares.
– It's good for everyone if there are several countries that can contribute to the summit. We hope to be able to go to the next World Cup, he continues.
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