A Legendary Farewell: Johaug Conquers Oslo in Emotional Final Race
Norwegian cross-country skiing icon Therese Johaug delivered a dominant performance in her final race, securing victory in the 30km classic event at the sun-drenched Holmenkollen in Oslo.
Johaug, a four-time Olympic champion and fourteen-time world champion, built a commanding lead of over a minute during the race. As she crossed the finish line, she slowed down, acknowledging the roaring crowd in the packed stadium with a wave. Overwhelmed with emotion, Johaug shed tears after the race, reflecting on her illustrious career.
“It was an incredible experience,” Johaug shared with TV 2. “It was gorgeous, but also bittersweet. It’s strange to think this is the end. I’ve been contemplating retirement for a while, and after Beijing and my three Olympic gold medals, I knew I wanted to finish on top.”
Johaug’s victory in Oslo marked her 99th World Cup win, finishing less than 20 seconds ahead of Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski. Sweden’s Jonna sundling secured third place, trailing Johaug by half a minute. Notably, no Czech skiers participated in the Oslo event.
Simultaneously occurring, Russia’s Natalya Nepryaeva has secured an unassailable lead in the overall World Cup standings. The Tour de Ski champion boasts a 241-point advantage over Sweden’s Ebba Andersson, with only two races remaining in Falun.The FIS canceled the planned three-part finals in Tyumen due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and has yet to find a replacement venue.
Nepryaeva’s triumph marks a meaningful milestone for Russian cross-country skiing. At 26 years old, she previously achieved second place in the World Cup in 2019 and third place in 2018. The last Russian skier to claim the overall world Cup title was Julia Chepalova in 2001.
Oslo Cross-Country Skiing Results:
Women’s 30km Classic with Mass Start:
- Therese Johaug (NOR) 1:19:22.8
- Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) -19.4
- Jonna Sundling (SWE) -32.3
- Kerttu Niskanen (FIN) -33.8
- Katharina Hennig (GER) -34.7
- Teresa Stadlober (AUT) -46.7
- Rosie Brennan (USA) -1:12.3
- Anne Skaanes (NOR) -1:13.1
- Ebba Andersson (SWE) -1:13.8
- Heidi Weng (NOR) -1:22.5
World cup Standings (after 21 of 23 races):
- Natalya Nepryaeva (RUS) 973 points
- Ebba Andersson (SWE) 732 points
- Jessie Diggins (USA) 721 points
- Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) 702 points
- Heidi Weng (NOR) 637 points
- Therese Johaug (NOR) 635 points
…
- Petra Hynčicová (CZE) 123 points
- Karolína Beranová (CZE) 25 points
- Eliška Antosova (CZE) 12 points
- Tereza Hynčicová (CZE) 11 points
- Barbora Nováková (CZE) 2 points
