Aksel Kryhlmand
Make no mistake, despite the palm trees and pool dives, this was no vacation.
In a rare scene of sun-soaked camaraderie, some of Norway’s top winter sports athletes swapped snow for sand as they headed to Gran Canaria for a week of warm-weather training.
With just over a year to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the camp brought together an eclectic mix of Olympic hopefuls from across alpine skiing, snowboarding, curling, figure skating and speed skating, all focused on sharpening both their fitness and their competitive edge.
But make no mistake, despite the palm trees and pool dives, this was no vacation.
A High-Performance Holiday
From sunrise yoga sessions to hilly road cycling, the athletes immersed themselves in off-season conditioning. Yet even the most elite of competitors found themselves out of their comfort zones, especially atop the 10-metre diving board.
World silver medallist Atle Lie McGrath and snowboarding legend Marcus Kleveland, both known for their high-speed aerial exploits, hesitated before taking the plunge into the pool. “Feel my heart,” said Kleveland with a nervous smile. “Probably 170 bpm.” Eventually, McGrath flipped into the water, and the rest followed, including mixed curling world bronze medallist Wilhelm Naess, who had to pry his hands off the rail to jump.
“It’s a little scary but it went well,” Kleveland admitted. “I think I’ll stop where I am,” he added with a laugh.
Shared Experience, Serious Goals
While the light-hearted moments brought the group closer, the intent behind the camp was unmistakable.
Mia Risa Gomez, three-time national figure skating champion, used the opportunity to fine-tune her dryland jump techniques with coach Hilde Aaby, ahead of the crucial Olympic qualifying competition in Beijing this September. “Since I was little, I’ve been thinking about the Olympics,” she said. “It would be a dream to represent Norway.”
Olympic gold medallist Hallgeir Engebraaten, part of Norway’s victorious men’s speed skating team pursuit squad at Beijing 2022, trained on rollerblades under the island sun, a welcome change from the typical icy indoors. Veteran coach Roger Gjelsvik, a seven-time Olympic coach, supervised the sessions.
Even off the ice and slopes, the athletes’ competitive fire burned bright. Alpine skiers Kajsa Vickhoff Lie and Thea Louise Stjernesund, the latter an Olympic bronze medallist, squared off in a tennis-ball balancing competition, though the winner remains unknown.
Building Toward Milano-Cortina 2026
Norway’s Olympic pedigree is unmatched, with a record 39 medals at PyeongChang 2018. That dominance is built not only on talent, but also on collaboration, a principle on full display during this camp.
“Rarely have we seen so many smiles and so many happy top athletes together,” Olympic Team Norway wrote. “They train together, learn from each other, and build a strong and proud team spirit. Together they are equipped for the great achievements that await in Milano-Cortina 2026.”
From cannonballs to coaching plans, Team Norway’s sunny escape may just prove to be the foundation for another record-setting winter.