The Olympic length competitions are decided in Zhangjiakou, 180 km north of Beijing, at an altitude of 1,700 meters.

It is close to the International Ski Federation's maximum limit for competitions of 1,800 meters.

Therefore, the summer and autumn have largely been about high-altitude training for the Swedish national ski team.

Anders Byström tells how the body reacts at high altitude:

- You have to breathe more to get oxygen.

Even the well-trained feel that it is harder to go upstairs in the hotel.

In addition, you sleep less, you need more fluids and diet becomes extra important.

I myself experienced that the resting heart rate became higher and the sleep worse.

Scares many

High altitude scares many, especially younger skiers who feel insecure and sometimes worried about having to compete at high altitude.

Anders Byström says that every 100 meters over 1,000 meters is felt in the body and if you pass 1,500 meters above sea level, it is especially noticeable.

- Apart from Charlotte (Kalla), it is a relatively young group that is not very used to height.

The important thing has been to make the riders safe so that they know how long it takes for each person to acclimatize at high altitude, says national team coach Stefan Thomson.

Safe skiers

World Cup leader Maja Dahlqvist, who before this season had no experience at all of adapting to high altitude, could now have signaled concern, but says calmly:

- I usually think that I am height positive, so I hope it lasts over the Olympics as well.

But we will be at the height before the Olympics and acclimatized and so on.

So I do not think there should be any problems, she says.

In March 2021, in connection with the Swedish Cup in Falun, it was with clear respect and horror-mixed delight that Karlsson commented on the high-altitude effort:

- I do not have much experience of high altitude, so this feels something special.

Of course, there is a risk of being very high altitude because it puts more strain on the body.

But someday I have to do it and I think it's good for me to start that work now considering what awaits the Olympics.

The fact box below describes how the riders do before and in connection with the individual high-altitude training and travel during the Christmas period.

MORE LONG SKI: Maja Dahlqvist - "Would be weird if you were not a favorite" (December 22, 2021)

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Maja Dahlqvist leads the sprint cup.

Photo: Bildbyrån