Norwegian skiing legend Aksel Lund Svindal has officially joined the coaching team of the national squad. Svindal, the most recent Norwegian to clinch Olympic gold in alpine skiing in 2018, confirmed his acceptance of a part-time coaching role following an offer from current team members.
The 43-year-old Svindal, who retired from competitive skiing in 2019 due to persistent knee issues, expressed excitement about the opportunity presented by athletes and coaches during the summer. Additionally, Svindal, who underwent surgery in 2022 for testicular cancer, recently contributed to Lindsey Vonn’s coaching team for the Winter Olympics.
With an illustrious career that includes gold in the super-G, silver in the downhill, and bronze in the giant slalom at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, Svindal’s coaching involvement comes after Norway secured only two medals — a silver and a bronze — in alpine skiing at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Norway had claimed four medals at the 2022 Games but fell short of gold.
Claus Ryste, the sports director for Norway’s Alpine skiing team, praised the ongoing efforts of a dedicated group of athletes and coaches striving for continuous improvement. Svindal’s dual perspective as an elite athlete and coach is seen as a valuable asset that can propel the team to new heights.
Already present at a pre-camp ahead of the World Cup racing season kickoff in Sölden, Svindal is poised to provide intermittent contributions throughout the season. Notably absent from the camp is Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who suffered an Achilles tendon rupture during preseason downhill training in Chile.
Svindal expressed confidence in the program and his ability to make multifaceted contributions, emphasizing his commitment to supporting the team despite not being present every week.
