By Johan Trygg
Team Ramudden broke the ten-year-long Norwegian dominance in the Pro Team competition. The Swedish team won ahead of another Swedish team, Lager 157 Ski Team, and with Norwegian Team Ragde Eiendom, in third place.
“The Pro Team competition has been perfect to gather around for the athletes in the team,” says Team Ramudden’s Pro Team Director Gustaf Korsgren.
Team Ramudden won the Pro Team competition with 1540 points ahead of Lager 157 Ski Team in second place with 1440 points and Team Ragde Eiendom as third with 1160 points. It was the first time the victory didn’t go to a Norwegian team. Team Ragde Eiendom or the brothers Aukland’s team under other names have won eight times, and Team Koteng (Team United Bakeries) has won twice.
What has Pro Team competition meant for your team?
“The thoughts of winning the team competition grew after Vasaloppet last year when we were the best team there. At first, the goal was top three, but then we got off to such a good season start, and the thought of winning has grown more and more,” says Korsgren.
“The team competition has been perfect to gather around for the athletes. When we had the possibility to win at the end of the season, I could see at the athletes how focused they were to take crucial points,” Korsgren continues.
After Team Ramudden’s strong season, Gustaf was also awarded as Pro Team Director of the Year.
How did it feel when this special season was over?
“There was some kind of emptiness. It has been an extraordinary season that involved a lot of hard work and many thoughts about practical things during the season in view of the pandemic situation.”
Team Ramudden does not have a large organization that handles the service around the athletes. Gustaf manages most things himself together with his friend Linus Jansson.
“We take care of everything with waxing, travel, and service during the races. At the end of the season, I had some other people’s help when Linus became a father,” says Korsgren.
“It’s not so easy to find people who can be away from home for several weeks during the winter. This winter, we also had covid 19 to think about, and it has been essential to keep our own bubble throughout the season.”
During the weeks when the Pro Tour’s competitions take place in Central Europe, Gustaf himself takes a holiday or leave of absence from his regular job. Otherwise, he handles the role of Pro Team Manager on evenings and weekends.
After Team Ramudden’s successful season, Gustaf is now looking forward to gathering the Pro Team during some training camps ahead of Season XII. Now it’s Team Ramudden who is the team to beat, and that this is exactly what teams like Lager 157 Ski Team, Team Ragde Eiendom, and Russian Winter Team want to do.
“All athletes in the team have a contract for next season. If we will bring in a new athlete to the team, I don’t know for now. I see that all athletes can develop more. Among the boys, Max was a bit unlucky this winter. Both Johannes and Herman have developed a lot,” says Korsgren.
For those who do not know, it may be appropriate to tell that Gustaf Korsgren himself has a great skiing career behind him, back then under the name Gustaf Berglund, before he married Lina Korsgren.
At Marcialonga, Gustaf has 19th place as his best result. At Vasaloppet, he has 29th place. Gustaf also made several World Cup races in the Swedish national team. His best result was 22nd place at 15 km classic style in Otepää, Estonia, January 2006.
Top picture: Gustaf Korsgren, together with his athletes. From left to right: Lina Korsgren, Ida Dahl, Jenny Larsson, Max Novak, Johannes Eklöf and Herman Paus.
Gustaf Korsgren, a happy Pro Team Director, after Team Ramudden’s victory in the Pro Team competition and himself awarded as Pro Team Director of the Year.
