By Teemu Virtanen

Before the holiday break last December, it looked like Astrid Øyre Slind from Team Koteng was heading towards her greatest season. She won La Venosta after a superior performance, and she left her toughest opponent Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, minutes behind. She seemed to be unbeatable, but life works in mysterious ways, and this winter turned out to be both “heaven and hell” for her as she personally described it.

“I did some of the best races ever, I felt strong, and I had all the bibs, and everything was looking bright,” Astrid says wistfully. “That was followed by a total catastrophe after Toblach-Cortina. I got sick, perhaps I was hit by the corona virus, then I discovered that I suffer from celiac disease, which was the reason why Toblach-Cortina was my worst race ever. Just eating pizza and bread wasn’t the best idea. Then, I was finally recovering andgetting stronger when the Covid-19 outbreak killed the rest of the season. So, I am left with some bad feelings about my 18^th place at Toblach-Cortina and two DNFs.” 

This Pro Team athlete, who also loves backcountry skiing and bouldering, continues her story by admitting that it was mentally hard to face her problems.

“I became depressed. First, I got a feeling that everything was going so well, and then nothing was going my way anymore. Losing the yellow bib was a huge disappointment as I was finally in a position where I actually had a chance to have it. It sucks to be sick, and physically I had so many setbacks and was in no position to be able to chase podium places. I think a big part of my bad shape was my weakened immune system due to my celiac disease. But now, I think it’s under control, so hopefully it won’t be a problem from now on.”

Despite her bad luck, she is happy to see that the women’s field is growing and getting stronger every year. She points out that there were many different race winners both this season and the last, and the competition bibs kept changing hands multiple times during the season. She is also impressed by Ida Dahl’s, Team Ramudden, and Emilie Fleten’s, Team Ragde Eiendom, strong performances. She is certainly going to face even harder fights than in the previous seasons because of the rise of the youth. In order to be ready for the next season, she says that she will continue training as she has done in the past and work on her weaknesses.

This season, Astrid had a great support from her teammate Kari Vikhagen Gjeitnes, who transferred from Team Ragde Eiendom, and these two athletes complemented each other and worked together whenever possible.

“Kari is a great skier, and we have been friends for many years. So, it was fun to have her in our team! She is an experienced skier after being in the National Team for so many years, and she managed to get great results at the World Championchips in Falun. Thus, it comes without saying that she has a lot of good ideas and tactics in mind, and she contributes a lot to the team.”

When she is asked about Visma Ski Classics and possible ways to develop the brand, she says that she is delighted to see the tour and the brand growing every year. She would like to see skating races in the mix as well, which happened in Season IX when Engadin Skimarathon joined the Pro Tour.

It is great to hear that Astrid has now overcome her struggles and that she is optimistic about her future. Skiing is, of course, her lifestyle as it is for so many of us, but there are other things in life that she values a great deal.

“I just want to be satisfied with what I do. I like having good friends, and being generally happy is my main goal in life. I love happy people and outdoor activities in fresh air. I hate pandemics. My mother has taught me to remember to enjoy whatever I’m doing. As far as my idols or influences go in my childhood, I wanted to lift a horse like Pippi Longstocking, rule the forest like Ronja, the Robber’s daughter and ski like Bjørn Dæhlie. And then as my long term goal, I could see myself living in a warmer country, drinking water from coconuts and spending my time surfing!”