To save cross-country skiing from Swedish men – VG

On Friday, the couple will debut at the Tour de Ski.

– He is already baptized as the savior of his companions. It was Calle (Halfvarsson) who gave him that nickname. This season he has become more than just Frida’s girlfriend, now he’s William Poromaa, expressen cross-country journalist Tomas Pettersson tells VG.

While Karlsson broke through nearly two years ago with gold, silver and bronze at the World Ski Championships in Seefeld, Poromaa made his breakthrough during the Swedish cross-country ski opening in Bruksvallarna in November. He won the 15 kilometer freestyle and finished second in the classic.

Petterson believes Poromaa gives hope to Swedish men’s cross-country skiing.

– It’s the most promising and exciting we’ve had since Calle broke in. William arouses interest. He’s a good kid and works well on television and on the ski slope, he has the potential to become a beloved Swedish athlete, says Pettersson.

Like his girlfriend, he trains a lot considering his young age.

– It’s a combination of Marcus Hellner and Johan Olsson, Aftonbladet journalist Petra Thoren tells VG.

– Unbelievably grateful

Poromaa uses the Swedish gold duo, who gave Sweden both Olympic and world gold consistently from 2010 to 2015, as mental trainers.

Thoren has great faith in the young Swede.

– William has used Johan as a mental coach since he broke a career and wanted to quit when he was 15, says Thoren.

In December, it emerged that he had started a collaboration with Hellner as the main figure in the retired Olympic winner’s clothing collection.

– I am incredibly grateful. Marcus has a lot to share, so it was good talking to him and getting some advice, Poromaa tells Expressen.

Hellner won the World Cup sprint in Oslo in 2011 ahead of Petter Northug. The hill where he moved has been named “Hellner Hill”.

– William can call whenever he wants. I really believe in him. He has good technique, manages races wisely from a young age. It will suck to see how far it can go, says Hellner.

Heavy for Sweden

After Olsson resigned in 2017 and Hellner the following year, Swedish men’s cross-country skiing has struggled. Jens Burman became the best Swede in the World Cup with 14th place overall last season, 15th Halfvarsson Street the year before. Sweden finished fifth in the Olympic relay in 2018. It was the same position at the World Cup in 2019.

Norway’s coach Eirik Myhr Nossum has great faith in Poromaa, who turned 20 on Christmas Eve.

– There’s a lot of pressure on him to save the Swedish men’s cross-country skiing, but with the path the arrow has pointed out, they need a new generation. There are several promising players in the new generation, but Poromaa is the main star among them, Nossum tells VG.

– Great talent

Cross country coach Espen Bjervig thinks Sweden has something to do.

– Poromaa is a great talent that will be exciting to follow, says Bjervig.

While Hellner has been Poromaa’s role model, her boyfriend has had a Norwegian role model:

Poromaa lives with Frida Karlsson in Sollefteå. She and Ebba Andersson share a favorite label against Tour de Ski. Poromaa will fight against the Russian favorites. Karlsson thinks she has made her boyfriend better.

– I train a lot with William. I think it’s good for both of us. It may have taken him a bit to turn all the workouts into something extra, where I think I helped him. I get a lot out of training with him, Karlsson said in an interview with Expressen last year.

Hard key session

She says her boyfriend likes to play golf too much.

“William has been bitten by that bacillus, and if you want to hang out with him, I have to be on the golf course.” But I think it’s fun. It’s just that it may take too long for it to be good for a cross-country skier, Karlsson told Expressen.

The 20-year-old has grown up practicing cross-country skiing. Dad Larry Poromaa was the Swedes’ lubrication manager during the World Ski Championships in Oslo in 2011, while his mom Anette Fanqvist is a former national team rider.

Sweden’s coach Lars Ljung told Aftonbladet in November that the key session for Poromaa is a 90-minute session every ten days, where he is very at threshold speed (on the verge of stiffness). The session is inspired by biathlon coach Wolfgang Pichler.

– It is hard on the body and the head. But you feel like you’re ahead of the rest, says Poromaa to Aftonbladet.

The Ski Tour ends downhill in Val de Fiemme on Sunday 10th January. Norway does not participate in the crown situation.

Thoren from Aftonbladet believes he can win at the Tour de Ski.

– You can now be in the top 10-15 on the Tour de Ski. He’s good as a freshman, Thoren tells VG.

Frida Karlsson beat Therese Johaug at the three miles at Holmenkollen in March: