Ebba Andersson: ready to tackle the season 2019/20

Fondoitalia.it met 22-year-old swedish Cross-Country skier who told us her beginning of  career, her joy in winning a gold medal at the World Championships in Seefeld and her plan for the upcoming season.

The clear and fresh waters of Ångermanälven river run fast and dynamic, making the beautiful city of Sollefteå shine under the Swedish sun. This energetic river divides this quiet town of less than eight thousands souls, nested in the infinite green spaces in Swedish region of Västernorrland. This speed of waters gives all its energy to the upstream power plant who supply this little but productive Scandinavian town for the most part of the year.

The same speed, energy and this perfect environment is taken as a source of inspiration for activity on skis by the locals but also by the numerous successful athletes coming from the renowned Sollefteå Skidgymnasium. In recent years, no less than Helena Ekholm, Marie-Helene Östlund, Sebastian Samuelsson and recently Frida Karlsson graduated from Sollefteå Skidgymnasium. The young athletes from the school are often seen flashing along the demanding tracks placed alongside the famous Hallstaberget hill that overlooks this quiet but beautiful Swedish town.

One of them is rising star, 22-year-old Ebba Kristina Andersson who was born in this idyllic, sporty town. At her young age, Ebba already won medals in both Olympic Winter Games and World Championships  with the Swedish relay team. After getting numerous gold medals as a junior, the young Swede has added the historical gold medal during the World Championships in Seefeld to her collection.

Originally it was her father, Per-Ola Andersson, who guided young Ebba into Cross-Country skiing when he moved his family from small Delsbo (about 150km south) to Sollefteå. Per-Ola Andersson took over a job as a coach at the local Skidgymnasium. Even when Ebba joined national team in 2017, her father remains her personal coach until this day and follows her closely when the Swedish skiers are not involved in national training camps.

Fondoitalia.it met Ebba Andersson in the luxuriant hall of Hallstaberget Hotel, the usual base camp for the ”Sverige  Team” when they do collective trainings in Sollefteå. With the usual happy smile Ebba starts to tell us about her start in Cross-Country skiing.

During the years in which Andersson attended high school, she also achieved remarkable results in track and field middle distance races, getting medals and Swedish junior titles in both 3000m and 1500m.

Four years ago there was some arguing between Swedish Athletics and the Swedish Ski Federation in order to get Ebba’s main attention in their respective discipline. But Ebba Andersson never had any doubt about her choice: “For me it was never difficult to choose between athletics and ski. I always thought skiing was more fun than athletics. It was an easy choice to make. As a teenager I used to ski and run because it was fun and I was doing middle distance in track and field when it was possible here in summer. But I always thought that skiing was the number one sport in my future. Athletics was just a way to keep me fit during summer even though I also got good results and medals as a junior”.

Fondoitalia.it: Is there a victory, a special prize, or a youth competition that has left a memory that will remain forever in your mind?

“For me it was special when I got my first gold medal in Rasnov. It has been an incredible feeling that I was the best. It was something that really motivates me to train well and to keep up my work in order to step up in the world elite. So that achievement was special to me. It was my first international gold medal.__“

Fondoitalia.it: What are your best memories from last World Championships in Seefeld? Did the win of the gold medal with the Swedish womens relay totally erased the little delusion of being sick before the World Championships?

“It was amazing to win a gold medal with Charlotte, Stiina and Frida. It has been a day of so much joy and fun. It was incredible to share that victory with the whole team and the entire S__wedish nation. For me personally, the World Championships in Seefeld didn’t go as I had planned. I had much higher ambitions than what I achieved but have to realize that illness is also part of our sport sometime. You have to face it and take the best from the situation anyway“.

Fondoitalia.it: Last summer and during your past injured period, you worked a lot to imporve your classical style. We all have seen amazing results last season by you getting numerous World Cup podiums. In w****hat are you working mainly during this summer ?

“I think that I am trying to keep up with the good work I have done in the past. I am trying to improve both my strengths and my weaknesses at the same time. Cross-Country skiing is a sport in which you have to be good in so many parts: endurance, strength_, tactics, speed, use of materials and technology and therefore  I just try to do my work as good as I can be”._

Fondoitalia.it: In the season 2019/20 there will be no Olympic Wintergames or World Championships. Is there a particular race that you have highlighted on your agenda looking at next World Cup calendar?

“For sure the two long Tours that we will have next season will be extra special. Both Tour de Ski and also Scandinavian Tour are in my program. That will be something extra for me and also I will keep an eye on the overall ranking. All those competitions are extra special in my upcoming season because I have never participated at the Tour de Ski, so I am sure it will be an exciting season. I really looking forward to it”.

Fondoitalia.it: What is your opinion about the FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar 2019/20. And also about changing the format on Alpe Cermis to a mass start?

“My opinion is just that we athletes have to accept how the calendar is and make our best from the situation. I did not give the calendar many thoughts as I prefer to put all my energy onto the next competitions rather than thinking about all different formats we have to face in 2019 -20. The mass start at Alpe Cermis will be exciting because it is something that has never been done before and it surely is not bad, thinking about the big gaps that emerged sometimes in the previous years. It is always special to have a Tour when there is a leader that might not be the winner of the last stage. Therefore I am a bit twisted to answer properly to this question, but I think mass start will be really exciting”.

Fondoitalia.it: Being a high level Cross-Country athlete can be really great but at the same time very stressful: travelling, racing, long training camps, pressure, being far from home for a big part of the year etc. are also part of the game. How do you deal that, day after day?

“I think that is the joy of being out there on the Cross-Country skis. The joy is much bigger than any of the struggles it might bring along. For me, it is easy to overcome the down sides. Cross-Country skiing is what I want to do. Plus most of the time I love doing sport, training, competition and so on.”

Fondoitalia.it: With your busy schedule, is it still possible to have real close friends inside and outside the World Cup circuit ?

"I have good friends here, both in the Swedish team and outside my skiing family. I think I am very lucky to have good friends so that any possible popularity haven’t and won’t change me. I still have real good friends here in Sollefteå from way back since I started  the Skidgymnasium but also friends around Östersund where I moved now.“

Fondoitalia.it: Watching you during trainings, interviews and outside races you are always smiling in every situation. What is it that always puts a smile on your face?

“I am not happy all the time for sure. I am a person who likes to be happy and positive but also if I try I’m not at it all the time. I also have bad days. But I really enjoy my current lifestyle, to be a Cross-Country skier. I love it so much and yes, then of course you smile when you love doing the things you like.”

Fondoitalia.it: Sebastian Samuelsson, Helena Ekholm, now Frida Karlsson and yourself come all from Sollefteå. What is the secret of being born in this small but wonderful town? It must be something in the air or water that makes you such dedicated athletes.

“Haha, no. Sollefteå is a really good place if you want to become a good Cross-Country skier. Mainly because there is a very good terrain to practice. The Sollefteå Skidgymnasium is a great school with many dedicated coaches and a very good environment to be there. In this city, the people really like Cross-Country skiing so it is a perfect place to be. There is no pressure in living and training here but this place really inspires me when I train with my coach or other team members. You could live here no matter if you are an elite athlete or a non-athletic person.. but yes, the water is really good too.”