Lillehammer 2026: Strand & Ingibrigsten Win Junior/U23 World Ski Championships Classics
Lillehammer, Norway, hosted the FIS Junior and U23 World Ski Championships from to , 2026, with Norway dominating the medal count in the classic technique individual races. The championships, encompassing cross-country, Nordic combined, and ski jumping events, saw Norwegian athletes secure gold in both the Junior Men’s and Women’s 10km interval start classic, as well as in the U23 Women’s classic event.
Leopold Strand, a member of Petter Northug’s team and a scholarship recipient from the 13-time world champion, took the Junior Men’s title, finishing the 10km course in . He bested Italy’s Daniel Pedranzini by , with Strand’s compatriot, Torjus Magnus Harbo, rounding out the podium, behind the winner. Strand reportedly paced his race strategically, building his lead on the second lap.
In the Junior Women’s 10km classic, Ingrid Wollan Benum secured Norway’s second gold of the day, finishing ahead of Austria’s Heidi Bucher. Bucher’s silver medal completed a full set of medals for the Austrian skier at the tournament, having already won gold in the sprint and bronze in the mass start. Sweden’s Tuve Norgren claimed the bronze medal, after Benum.
The U23 Women’s 10km classic saw another Norwegian victory, with Eva Ingebritgsen winning in a time of . She finished ahead of Switzerland’s Marina Kaelin, an Olympian, while France’s Leonie Perry, also an Olympic competitor, took bronze, finishing over a minute behind the leader.
Finland broke Norway’s dominance in the U23 Men’s 10km classic, with Nico Anttola taking gold in . He finished ahead of Norway’s Casper Kvam Grindhagen. Sweden’s Anton Gran, a former junior and U23 world champion, secured the bronze medal, off the pace.
These results follow earlier competitions at the championships. In the Junior Women’s sprint freestyle, Ingrid Wollan Benum also secured gold, while Heidi Bucher took silver and Eline Skaar of Norway claimed bronze. The Junior Men’s sprint freestyle was won by Sweden’s Eddie Pettersson, with Leopold Strand of Norway in second and Federico Pozzi of Italy in third. The U23 sprint freestyle events saw victories for Filip Skari of Norway (men) and Julie Sand Hanssen of Norway (women).
The championships also included events in Nordic combined and ski jumping. The schedule ran from to , with competitions broadcast on VGTV (subscription required). Live streaming was also available on SC Play worldwide, excluding Sweden and Norway, from to , with Ski Classics and the Orsa Grönklitt 50K ITT competition featured on and .
Norway’s strong performance across multiple events underscores its continued strength in Nordic skiing. The championships provided a platform for emerging talent, with athletes like Leopold Strand and Ingrid Wollan Benum establishing themselves as contenders on the international stage. The event also highlighted the competitive depth within the sport, with athletes from Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Finland securing medals.