Cross-country skiing star Frida Karlsson has crossed the Öland Bridge for the first time and made her way to Borgholm to receive the Victoria Prize from Crown Princess Victoria. She receives the prize after her two Olympic gold medals, in skiathlon and the 10-kilometre freestyle, at the Milano-Cortina Games last winter, where she was also part of the Swedish relay team that won silver.
In the sunshine of Borgholm, her feet were cast in Kay Wiestål's park, and she now shares space with previous laureates such as Ingemar Stenmark, Gunde Svan, Pernilla Wiberg, Peter Forsberg, Tomas Brolin and Sarah Sjöström.
Super honourable. When I look at the list of names that have received it before, I just feel: Is it really my turn?
Satisfied with the training
After her Olympic success, Frida Karlsson has her sights set on the coming winter, which will culminate in the home World Championships in Falun. Pre-season training has been in full swing for some time now.
I'm happy with what I've accomplished so far. It was quite enough with a few days here on Öland with less training. A little golf, with, among others, Prince Daniel on the course in Ekerum, and a little bit of other stuff.
Will there be any training sessions on the Öland roads?
We've been running a bit after the water. It's super nice here, it's really a landscape of its own. But here there aren't as many metres of altitude as at home, a bit exotic for someone who comes from Norrland, says Frida Karlsson and laughs.
Meeting with oneself
The 26-year-old has previously said that the coming season will be her last as an elite skier. Her stated intention is to finish first with the World Championships in Falun and then with the Swedish Championships back home in Sollefteå.
Recently, Frida Karlsson has nevertheless left the door open for her career to be longer than that.
I'm probably stuck with a vague answer there. I think it's nice to go into the upcoming season with the idea that it's the final sprint. After the season, I'll have a new meeting with myself and have a blank slate. If I continue skiing, it's really because I want to, not because I have to. I feel like it's going to be very genuine, it's going to be exactly what I want to do then and there.
The Victoria Prize, formerly the Victoria Scholarship, has been awarded every year since 1979. In the inaugural year, the prize went to Ingemar Stenmark. Here are the five most recent winners:
2026: Frida Karlsson, skiing.
2025: David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig, beach volleyball.
2024: Isabelle Haak, volleyball.
2023: Erik Karlsson, ice hockey.
2022: Ebba Årsjö, para-alpine skier
