ROLLER SKI. FIS Rollerski World Championships kick off on Tuesday in Aure, Norway. Olympic Champion, World Champion and FIS Tour de Ski winner Charlotte Kalla announced to join the Swedish squad.

Swedish rollerskiing team’s coach Johan Ericson announced his World Champs team with a smile. Participation of Charlotte Kalla brings along increased attention to rollerskiing specialists.

“I am obviously delighted that Charlotte Kalla wants to be with us and fight for medals in Norway. She is a debutant in this context, but everyone knows what capacity she has. She showed it in the nomination race in Örnsköldsvik. It will be exciting to follow Charlotte's performance on the roads in Aure / Kristiansund August 9 to 13,” he said.

There are seven men, four ladies and two juniors in the Swedish team for the FIS Rollerski Worlds. One of biggest gold medal candidates is Hanna Seppas, who has won three Rollerskiing World Cups and is the current leader of World Cup standing. Another medal hope is Anders Svanebo who was third and fourth at last World Cup races in Bad Peterstal. Vasaloppet winner Sandra Hansson is also with the team as well as sprinter Tobias Westman.

“At the world Championships in Italy in 2009 we claimed silver and two bronze medals. This year we are even stronger. Our common goal in Norway is five medals, one gold. We see are best chance in distance races and relays,” says coach John Ericson.

Charlotte Kalla is moving to Norway after the Swedish joint training camp at Östersund, which ends today, on Friday August 5. In spite of high intensity and heavy training she is motivated to take part in the second World Championships in Norway in six months.

“I train a lot on rollerskis so it is natural that I’m going to try this event but I have no idea what I can do in competition with the world's best roller-skiers. There are at least guaranteed good speed workouts,” Charlotte Kalla commented. She has entered for two distance competitions.

World Championships program starts on Tuesday, August 9 at Aure with classical race over 10 km mass start. Another distance race, 24km free technique men and 17 Free technique ladies is scheduled on Wednesday. Thursday is going to be a rest day.

Then the World Championships program moves to Kristiansund and continues with relays on Friday, where each team consists of 3 skiers. FIS Rollerskiing World Championships ends on Saturday with a sprint.

Contributed by Swedish Ski Team
Friday 5 August 2011

The Swedish World Cup squad for Aure / Kristiansund

Men

Anders Svanebo
Anton Lindblad
Joakim Engström
Oscar Quicklund
Samuel Norlén
Tobias Westman

Ladies

 Hanna Seppas
Sandra Hansson
Charlotte Kalla
Nina Lintzén

Junior Ladies

Sara Nordstrand
Marika Sundin

  Tweet