It will be a big challenge for the cross-country ladies when the distances are made longer for this season.
The biggest change will be that the three-mile will become a five-mile instead.
- It's very far when I just started getting into the three miles, says Jonna Sundling with a laugh to SVT Sport.
- But it's the same for everyone and I like challenges.
I think it will be exciting in a way to see how I myself will handle a five mile.
I have never gone that far, says Sundling.
"Lock on to some specific distances"
One of Sweden's best distance skiers on the women's side is Ebba Andersson, who is both satisfied and less satisfied with the changes.
- It is positive that Fis dares to make a change like this.
Then maybe I'm not completely satisfied with how they chose to change it, she says to SVT Sport.
- They have locked themselves into a few specific distances and I think that is a bit of a shame.
Why wouldn't we just as well have run a three mile race or a 15km race or whatever it might be.
Now it's mostly ten or 20 kilometers.
It is precisely for the sake of variety, to have a more varied competition program, that I think it is a bit of a shame.
For Ebba Andersson, it feels good that it will be a little longer for the ladies.
- I don't think it will do me any harm if we drive 20km sometimes.
After all, I'm a distinct distance skier and I don't directly get any disadvantage from it being a little longer.