UNNIA
Elias NordahlSasja Joelsen Henriksen, Marika Magnussen and Qunnaaq Jensen, cross-country talents, will start on March 2 at the Junior WC in cross-country skiing in Lillehammer, Norway. The four Greenlandic junior runners will compete in sprint, 10 km, 20 km and the mixed relay, where they will have the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s strongest cross-country nations.
At the championship, the runners will wear the new national team uniforms with the flag of Greenland, even though they are participating under the Danish Skiing Association. The suits give the athletes a strong sense of pride, and several Greenlandic spectators have already signed up to travel to Lillehammer to support them.
National coach Martin Møller expresses great pride in the development.
– It is impressive to see how much they have progressed in recent years. They have worked seriously, trained steadily and shown that they want this. I am very proud of their development, says Martin Møller.
He also emphasizes that the participation could mark the beginning of a new era for Greenlandic cross-country skiing.
– I think that this could be the start of a new era, when we will once again get Greenlandic cross-country skiers up to the highest international level. It takes courage and hard work to take the step out and compete outside of Greenland, and they have done that. I hope it gives inspiration to more young runners at home in Greenland, says the national coach.
For the four athletes, the Junior WC is an opportunity to both test their skills against international competition and gather important experience. Now they are looking forward to taking up the challenge and giving their best at the starting line in Lillehammer.
