Switzerland-based Pro Team, Team Emtec Nordic, completed a landmark first season on the Ski Classics World Championship in Season XVII, finishing 25th in the Pro Team Competition.
ProXCskiing.com caught up with Pro Team Director and athlete Manuela Deigentesch to look back at the campaign, share what the squad is up to this summer, and look ahead to Season XVIII.
A debut to remember
For a brand-new Pro Team stepping onto the Ski Classics World Championship for the first time, Season XVII could not have gone much better. Team Emtec Nordic, the Switzerland-based squad bringing together athletes from Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, set out with clear and realistic goals: be present at every race, and finish inside the top 25 of the Pro Team Competition. They delivered on both counts.
“It was our first season with Team Emtec Nordic. We are satisfied with our season, how we planned and executed our races, travels, etc., as a team. It was a lot of fun, and we were present at every race, which was a goal of ours. We also reached our goal to land in the top 25 of all teams,” says Deigentesch.
The season opener at Bad Gastein in December 2025 stands out as a special moment for the newly formed group. From there, the squad built momentum across the full calendar, with personal bests on the women’s side at every Grand Classic, including a top-60 finish at Marcialonga. For Johan Österlund, the Swede in the group, the season brought a particularly meaningful result: “P.65 of Johan at Vasaloppet, which means a lot to him as a Swede.” The team’s top-ranked athlete, Österlund, finished Season XVII ranked 95th overall in the World Champion competition.
When asked which athletes stood out most, Deigentesch did not hesitate: “All of them, as all of them gave their best and were really motivated for the season.”
The story continues below.
Balancing skiing with real life
What makes Team Emtec Nordic’s achievement even more notable is the context in which it was accomplished. Every athlete on the roster holds a full-time job alongside their racing commitments.
“The challenge for all of our athletes is always to combine racing and travelling with private life and work, as all of us have a full-time job besides skiing. This is also a challenge in training, to balance the training load and recovery within our daily lives with work, family, etc.,” Deigentesch explains.
A Swiss summer in the mountains
With the season wrapped up, the athletes are making the most of their alpine surroundings. Most of the squad live in or near eastern and southeastern Switzerland, which allows a portion of the group to continue training together through the warmer months.
“For some of us, who live close together in the eastern and southeastern part of Switzerland, it means we can train together. Last year, we already had a mini training camp here in Graubünden in Switzerland with a visit from Anders Aukland. We are planning to do it again,” says Deigentesch.
The team is also looking outward, with plans to organize community events: “We are also planning to hold 1-2 events where we teach double poling on roller skis to recreational skiers.” As autumn approaches, the squad will meet on snow farming tracks in Davos and Seefeld to get back on snow before the season begins.
And for those with their eyes on higher ground, the mountains are calling. “As most of our skiers come from the Alps, we have a strong connection to the mountains. So, there will for sure be some alpine and glacier tours to higher mountains above 4000m, which brings a lot of fitness and therefore is good training.”
Looking ahead to Season XVIII
Team Emtec Nordic is not resting on the achievement of a successful debut. “Our goal is to confirm our position in Ski Classics, as a team and also individually for the athletes, and make steps forward in important races,” Deigentesch says.
Details on the lineup and any new signings or sponsorship news are still being finalized, with updates to be shared via the team’s Instagram profile in due course.
On the Season XVIII calendar, Deigentesch is excited and has some clear wishes: “We are really excited about the beginning of June, when the calendar will come out. For us, it would be great if the season start was in the Alps. We also hope that there won’t be such long breaks and then so many back-to-back race weekends as last year, but I guess that will be the case without the Olympic games this season.”
To anyone interested in following or supporting the team, Deigentesch has a direct message: “We hope to see many of you following Ski Classics and our way to Ski Classics in summer! We would really like to make it bigger in the Alpine countries. If you want to support our team specifically, feel free to contact us or go to our Instagram profile and the GoFundMe link.”
Team Emtec Nordic can be followed at @team.emtec.nordic on Instagram. To support the team directly, visit their GoFundMe page.
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Author: Leandro Lutz
Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus
