This season, Sweden's men will have six starting places at the World Cup in both Big Air and slopestyle – something that has never been done before.

But on the women's side there isn't a single one.

- In recent years, we have worked a lot with the top, and then it is easy when talented skiers come.

We have had a few girls who have gone on to other careers in skiing but chose to stop competing in freeski.

But the guys have always rolled on.

It is important that we take a step back, says Niklas Eriksson, the national team captain, to SVT Sport.

Sweden's best women's skater Emma Dahlström ended her competitive career in 2019. Jennie-Lee Burmansson, who made Swedish Olympic history five years ago when, at 15, she became Sweden's youngest participant in a Winter Olympics (where she finished eighth), has had a difficult period in recent years.

After the World Cup victory in slopestyle, she suffered a cruciate ligament injury that caused her to take a longer break from competing.

"We need to expand"

And now the freeski national team does not have any female skiers in the elite.

There are several reasons, according to Niklas Eriksson.

He points out that the sport is relatively new in Sweden and needs to become bigger.

- Those who ride now are those who found the sport themselves.

We have to get better at expanding and showing ourselves in Sweden.

We need to increase the volume in youth activities and clubs and help more with that support.

For skiers, there is plenty in Sweden, he says.

Moved the businesses home

Something that has already been started.

- We have changed a little when we moved the operations and training home.

Then we have put together a progression session (development camp) which is aimed at young girls who should be able to get training and meet like-minded people.

Where we can put them together in groups where you can have joint training.

It's a good way to start.

When do you think we can see starting Swedish freeski girls in the World Cup?

- We have a ski high school and there we want to see that the application participation is 50/50 and then we will see how the development takes from there.

But it's a process that takes time and if we start now, we hope for a five-year period, that we could have some girls who are interesting and can go all the way.