Preparing at full steam for the World Championships this winter
It’s been five months since Henrik Kristoffersen made his last Ski World Cup appearance. It was not the season the Norwegian wanted last time around. With injuries ahead of the winter, the technical specialist didn’t find the kind of success he is used to.
Kristoffersen, who treats Salzburg as a second home, is working hard to savour victory again in the 2024/25 season - with the highlight sure to be a ‘local’ World Championships in Saalbach.
Hi Henrik, how are you? It’s been five months since the last World Cup race and you're in the midst of preparing for the new season. What lessons can you draw from the past season?
Henrik Kristoffersen: To be honest, it was a very mixed season – my first World Cup winter without a win. The preparations weren’t great - I had an ankle operation in May and injured myself a few weeks before the start of the season in Sölden. Although the World Cup started okay in Sölden, I didn't really get going after that. I'm not satisfied with that, of course, but you learn from your defeats and gain experience that can help you grow as an athlete. In a sports career, there are always ups and downs, and we know what we have to work on. I feel good, and I want to compete for World Cup victories again next season.
Have you found a reason why things didn't go smoothly enough last season?
Henrik Kristoffersen: The competition in the Ski World Cup is really intense. Everything has to come together perfectly to be able to win races. The material - the ski boots and skis - work really well. We didn't find the ideal setup totally in the edge settings. There are so many nuances that make a difference so that I can hopefully feel comfortable and ski fast at the same time.
A ski season is really draining. How do you recharge your batteries and still manage to gain all the strength you need to prepare for the new season?
Henrik Kristoffersen: A ski season is extremely exhausting. If you can't call on your full potential, it saps even more strength. That's why it is so important to clear your head after the long winter of skiing, spend time with family and friends and recharge your batteries. I've learned to use this time to find a balance between training and family time. Tonje and Emil give me a lot of strength at a time I am preparing so intensively for the challenges to come. There is a World Championship winter ahead, and I will be the defending champion 'at home' in Salzburg.
You mentioned the World Championships in Saalbach - are you making any special preparations for the fact it is a World Championship winter?
Henrik Kristoffersen: In skiing, it is difficult to prepare for a given day. It's not like other sports, such as cycling, where you prepare for a specific race and try to build your form up to it. It's a bit different in skiing. Intensive preparation is the basis of all success, though, of course. I have changed my training routine a bit - I have reduced the volume and increased the intensity. It's all about getting a perfect setup and self-confidence too. When you arrive at a World Championships with some success behind you, are in a flow and can start with confidence, you have an advantage.
Henrik, in two and a half months the season will start in Sölden. Could we ask just what you’re planning in the coming weeks?
Henrik Kristoffersen: We spent two weeks in Saas Fee in Switzerland at the beginning of August. After a short trip to Sweden with my family, we are going to Wittenburg for slalom training before heading to South America for close to four weeks. We are working intensively on the setup for the coming winter in order to be able to cope with a full range of conditions. That is the big goal we have set ourselves, and we will also use our trip to Argentina for this. I have heard that there is a lot of snow in Ushuaia, so hopefully we will have lots of good days training there. We will stay in Austria to apply the final touches before Sölden. The plan is to be in Pitztal and then perhaps in Sölden for the last days of training. Then we will be ready for a successful start to the season, hopefully.