A Telemark Fairytale in Ål Norway

The third Telemark World Cup stage was held in Ål (NOR) wth two Classics, a Sprint and a Parallel Sprint races.

Telemark has deep roots in Norway and nearly every one free-heel skier dreams to make turns here.

Such was the case for Augustine Carliez (FRA) in her first year on the team, she said, “It is really special to compete in this country. Norway is origin of Telemark skiing and it’s a great feeling reconnect ourselves to the roots of our sport. I had the smile from the beginning till the end just thinking about the fact that I was in Norway.”

A fairy tale in mind for Carliez and she wasn’t the only one as with Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR), Raphael Mahlknecht (IA) and the presence of a nicely Tinkerbell named Célia. Indeed, Amélie Wenger-Reymond’s daughter Célia (4yo) came here to support the Swiss team and to spread ‘smiles for miles’ to everyone especially during the TeleKidz event organized by Ål in the margin of the World Cup.

Two Classics in a raw the first day**!**
The Classic is the icing on the cake for any telemark racer but also the most demanding in term of endurance, both physically and mentally. Starting a World Cup with two Classics in a day was a bit challenging for many of the athletes but with the leaders of the discipline fighting for the Classic discipline Globe it was time for a showdown.

The Swiss women Martina Wyss and Amélie Wenger-Reymond finished respectively 1st and 2nd in the two races. Argeline Tan-Bouquet (FRA) finished 3rd for the first one while Béatrice Zimmermann ended 3rd for the second outing. The first top Norwegian lady was Kaja Boernstad Konow (NOR) ending 5th and 6th. Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR), ranked 4th for the overall Globe before Ål, struggled with his skiing and speed and didn’t manage to perform at home (9th and 11th).

It was the same for the Norwegian Trym Nygaard Loeken who missed the second Classic with a 9th position whereas he finished 4th for the first Classic. We would have loved to see the Norwegians on the podium from day one but there was some serious clients there for the win. Bastien Dayer (SUI) and Elie Nabot (FRA) exchanged the king of the discipline role between the two Classics. First Classic Dayer 1st and Nabot 2nd and then Nabot 1st and Dayer 2nd…tie game (Switzerland 1 - France 1). For the third places it was not a tie game at all with the French Noé Claye and then Théo Sillon.

Apocalyp****se now for the Sprint race
It dumped snow for the Sprint race with 20 cm of fresh snow!

The women Martina Wyss (1st) and Amélie Wenger-Reymond (2nd) kept the Swiss momentum going. At this point we might have thought that the cards had already been dealt for the Parallel Sprint. Jasmin Taylor (GBR) finished 3rd, Argeline Tan-Bouquet (FRA) 4th and Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR) 5th.

For men, Bastien Dayer (SUI) finished 1st, Nicolas Michel (SUI) 2nd. The rookie Yoan Rostolan (FRA, 3st) looks to be no more a TeleKidz and ready to challenge the ‘Swiss rocks of telemark skiing’. Rostolan’s style is already reminiscent of a certain Phil Lau…the young gun is yet promising. Frustrations for the Norwegian Jacob Alveberg (4th) and Trym Nygaard Loeken (5th). Elie Nabot (FRA) was ranked first for the overall Sprint discipline Globe standing. His 7th place of the day made him loose precious points to the benefit of Dayer.

The show at its peak for the Parallel Sprint
Teardrops of joy or deception in a box of speed, tight challenges and suspenses till the finish line. That was the Parallel Sprint in Ål! Live streamed by National TV NRK the public may have lived something special this day.

Mikael André Dansereau from Canada said, “As an athlete arriving from the other side of the Atlantic, I was just amazed to see how tight were the heats during Ål telemark parallel World Cup. It’s unbelievable to see how tight the top 20 athletes are standing from each other in terms of level and skills. I think this adds a lot of value to our niche sport as 2023 Ål parallel was the best ski show I’ve seen in my racing career.”

All scenarios were possible before the start within this Nordic pantheon. And what a final with several premieres! Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR) won his first World Cup ever and gave a long-awaited victory to the Norwegian team for this World Cup.

Goril Strom Eriksen said, “Parallel is my favorite discipline and I really wanted to be back on the podium especially here in Ål. My first two heats were against my teammates, first my sister Ella and then Emma. I quickly realized that I needed to have a very tight line out of the loom to get the most speed and get ahead in the skating part, and it ended up working pretty well, maybe especially in the final. It’s my first World Cup victory and feels a little surreal. It makes it extra special that it was here in Norway on live TV and with family, friends and previous coaches in the audience!

Amélie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) finished 2nd and the surprise for the third place came from Augustine Carliez (FRA) who managed to beat Martina Wyss (SUI) one of the leaders in the discipline. Emotions and tears for Carliez at the finish line.

Augustine Carliez said, “For the quarterfinals I was at the bottom of  Mt Everest: racing with Martina Wyss, actual World Champion! How can you race against somebody you are a big fan? I had to be at my top level to have a chance to keep her pace. I just needed to repeat to myself my 3 F  slogan:  Fast, Focus, and not Fan (this time … ). I managed to take the lead and keep it till the end. Unexpected maybe, but what I was proud of my win and that the battle was fair. Definitely the biggest performance of my small career, but the most difficult now was to stay focused on the semi finals. Against Goril Stom Eriksen, it was my turn to make few mistakes in the gates. I was a bit behind her in the loom and I broke my pole so I couldn’t make the difference in the skating part. If the pole broke, it is because I made something wrong, so all my fault, Goril deserved so much that victory and I was so happy for her! In the small final, Argeline Tan Bouquet was in the starting block next to me. I was sad to be against her because it is alway difficult to fight a teammate, but it is always an honor to compete against such a great athlete. Argeline was my first roommate in the French team, and I was (and I still am ) a big fan. She has a cristal globe (which means something, which means everything…). And she knows how to approach such a round. I wanted to prove to myself that it was possible to be at her level. It was a big fight because she took quickly the lead but I managed to catch up before the jump and arrived first into the loom. Argeline tried inside maneuver but fell. I did not see her and continued like she was still behind. At the very end, I realized that I reached my 1st World Cup Podium!  We are always thinking about the fact that our sport is an individual one, but it is above all a collective one. Without the team, I think that I couldn’t push my limits as I did, and get that result.  Family, sponsors, friends, coaches are also part of the performance, and give you the little extra energy which prevents the fall in the loom at every run. I reached my 1st WC Podium ever. I will remain always something special in a small part of my heart, but leave plenty of space for others because I love so much that feeling, and Telemark !”

Argeline Tan-Bouquet finished 4th and Martina Wyss 5th.

For men the final was a tight race between the French and the Swiss… the win came to Nabot. Nicolas Michel (SUI) finished 2nd. The men’s performance of the day came to Raphael Mahlknecht (3rd, ITA) who signed his first World Cup podium and by the way the first Italian to reach the podium.

Raphael Mahlknecht said: “My first top-three placement in a world cup race together with being the first Italian on a telemark world cup podium, so many emotions and an incredible feeling! I've never had more fun racing than on the day of the parallel race in Aal, Norway. At first, I couldn't realize that I was fighting for podium, especially because I wasn't satisfied with the run of the qualification because I almost fell after the jump. I would not have expected to defend third place that day. I´m proud with my performance in the finals and incredibly happy about the 3th place.”

A fairy tale for sure for Eriksen, Carliez Mahlknecht or Nabot. Norway delivered a great show full of emotions and teardrops. Our three new podiums heroes were congratulated by the whole athletes…like always they race together. Tears of joy erased the disappointments of the day for some of them and gave an amazing happy ending to our Norwegian tale.

The presence of kids like our Tinkerbell Célia discovering telemark around the World Cup arena (within the framework of the FIS TeleKidz campaign) was also synonym of passion transmission. May the good vibes which emerged from this Parallel Sprint will echo for a long time in the hearts of these little rippers.

We salute the involvement of our racers for what they have yet accomplished all along this season and this Parallel Sprint paid tribute to them. We want to thanks all the organizers and volunteers for the success of this World Cup stage. Per Ståle Grude (T-Shark telemark promotion association) has also been honored by the Norwegian ski federation with the Ildsjelprien prize for a whole life dedicated to promote telemark especially for the youngest.

See you in Krvavec, Slovenia, for the next World Cup round.