The final decision was made at the FIS Congress in Milan on Wednesday evening. The FIS has yet to confirm which distances will be in the World Cup programme, but confirmed on Wednesday that de selects all distances in cross-country skiing for women and men.

When the cross-country committee voted in favor of the proposal in early May, it was decided that 10, 15, 20 and 50 kilometers are the distances to be used, in addition to sprints.

Now, however, NRK can reveal that the proposal is in direct conflict with what most athletes at the World Cup themselves want.

Nearly nine out of ten say no

NRK has gained access to an annual survey among World Cup athletes. 114 athletes from 25 different countries, with an average of six years of World Cup experience, responded to the survey.

When asked whether men and women should have the same distance (regardless of length), 73 percent said no. If you isolate female practitioners in the survey, 88 percent say no.

Opposition to equal distance is thus significantly greater among women than men.

Surprising results Italian Virginia de Martin Topranin, who is the athlete’s representative on the cross-country committee.

– VI asked about the same thing a few years ago, and then more athletes for the same distance. Suddenly the results were different this year. So it was a bit of a shock for us, he told NRK.

The survey also asked follow-up questions about which three distances athletes would choose, provided equal distances were adopted. 10 km wins ahead of 15, 20, 30 and 50 km. Femmila is thus the least desirable exercise among the active.

Nevertheless, it’s likely that both women and men will walk the five miles in Holmenkollen this winter.

Weng is critical

Topranine doesn’t want to express her opinion on equal distances, but she does believe that some people fear that women’s cross-country skiing will be less entertaining when the distance becomes longer, like five miles.

– A 50 kilometer can lead to a longer distance in the field. “At the same time, there’s been a huge distance with Therese Johaug in recent seasons, so it’s not certain that distance is the point here,” he said.

Across NRK, Norwegian cross-country profile Heidi Weng is very clear about what she thinks about equal distance for women and men.

– I do not support the proposal. We spent more time the same distance and then out longer than the men. So I hope this won’t happen. To add to the excitement, it is taken by 7.5/5 kilometers. More who will fight for the podium, Weng is sure.

Knobs: – Many welcome five miles

Guri Knotten is Norway’s new representative on the FIS cross-country committee after Vegard Ulvang. Former cross-country coaches think – like Ulvang – that women and men should cover the same distance.

– At the same time, I have a great understanding that today’s practitioners may have some doubts about changing programs, said Knotten.

Although the survey results were very clear, Knotten claimed that he got a different impression from talking to practitioners.

– IIt would not be true to say that the active parties opposed the proposal. Most people I talk to think that equal spacing is just right. And there are many who welcome the five miles, and have declared it. This is a good and important decision, he said.