Difficult start for Italy’s ski roll team in the World Cup: Swedish clean sweep in the Trollhaettan senior sprints

Sweden showed no mercy and took everything in the opening event of the 2026 Ski Roll World Cup, on the familiar Trollhaettan course, with sprints opening the three-day Scandinavian weekend.

On a highly unusual and very demanding course, so much so that Emanuele Becchis himself, the world’s leading specialist, had warned that he was unlikely to be a protagonist here (the Piedmontese athlete finished well outside the top 30 and the final rounds, placing 51°), Italy had to settle for Giovanni Lorenzetti’s 27th place. Emil Danielsson took the victory, followed by teammate Anton Grahn, with Czech athlete Jiri Tuz in third.

The home team also won the women’s sprint, with cross-country skiing star Johanna Hagstroem taking victory ahead of a brilliant Gina Del Rio, while another Swede, Elin Henriksson, finished behind the Andorran. For Italy, Maria Eugenia Boccardi scored points in 20th place, as did Anna Maria Ghiddi in 23rd, while Alba Mortagna finished 32°.

A respectable performance from Stefano Epis in the junior sprint; the Clusone representative finished 12° in a race once again dominated by the Scandinavians: Norway’s Ragnhildsloekken took first place ahead of Sweden’s Malm and Jutterdal. Federico Sartori also scored points in 20th place.

The Vikings also celebrated in the women’s junior event, with the ever-present Lia defeating Sweden’s Holmberg and compatriot Aarnes. Maria Invernizzi posted a solid 14th-place finish, while Nicole Falanelli was 19th.