Hanna Falk ends professional World Cup career
Apr 18, 2021·Cross-Country
After 11 years in the national Cross-Country team of Sweden, Hanna Falk has announced to step back from professional Cross-Country racing. Hanna has been a significant athlete along the World Cup with a long professional career since her first World Cup start in Stockholm in 2007. Her maiden World Cup podium came with a bang in Düsseldorf’s (GER) City Sprint weekend in 2009, where Hanna took her maiden victory and a second spot in the Teamsprint with Ida Ingemarsdotter on the following day. In the same season, Hanna Falk joined her first Olympic Winter Games in Whistler (CAN) and ended on the 29th rank in Sprint.
Half into the following season, Hanna was diagnosed with a bacterial infection which was the explanation why the young Swede could not keep up on her grand results from the previous seasons. A long, tough way lay ahead of her as she fought her way back into the World Cup top rankings. With individual Sprint Gold in the Swedish Nationals in 2011, 2014, 2015 and eventually 2019, Hanna proved all along that she belonged to the world elite in Cross-Country skiing.
In the season 2016/17, she was back, collecting seven World Cup podiums in Sprint competitions. In the World Ski Championships in 2017 in Lahti, Falk missed the podium by 0.15 seconds but proved to be back in shape to tackle the world elite in Cross-Country skiing. Four World Cup podiums – including two victories in Dresden and Falun – followed in 2018.
With the Teamsprint in her hometown Ulricehamn this February, Hanna returned back home from the World Cup - but decided to stay.
Hanna, you have fought, impressed and inspired throughout your career and lived through setbacks with an attitude of a true athletic role model. The FIS Family congratulates you for all you have achieved and wishes you all the best for your future projects!
