Swedish Pro Tour Athlete Ends Career After A Successful Season

by ANDRÉ SANTOS • 09.03.2023
Malin Börjesjö, Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, has impressed with her strong performances this season. Still, after Vasaloppet, this Swedish Pro Tour athlete has decided to end her professional skiing career.
Malin Börjesjö, Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, has impressed with her strong performances this season. Still, after Vasaloppet, this Swedish Pro Tour athlete has decided to end her professional skiing career.

The Swedish Pro Tour skier Malin Börjesjö, who has spent the last two years training and racing with Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, has announced her retirement from elite skiing after Vasaloppet. 

On her Instagram, Malin stated she would miss skiing:

“The finish line (of Vasaloppet) was the end of my time as a professional skier. To say goodbye to something which has been such a huge part of my life is hard,” she writes in her post.

Malin Börjesjö, Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, at the finish line of Vasaloppet 2023. Photo: Private/Instagram


“This Vasaloppet finish wasn’t like any end of a race. The finish line was the end of my time as a professional skier, and I made it there. To say goodbye to something which has been such a huge part of my life is hard, but I’m so grateful for all the opportunities this sport has given me. Being able to go to the US and ski for @nmu_nordic for two years, racing the Swedish cup with @sumpanelit, and wrapping up this part of my life with being a part of @team_internorm_alpenplus has meant everything to me. 

I’m thankful for everyone who has made this possible, from sponsors to family, and also for my body which has allowed me to keep living this lifestyle for such a long time.

 I will miss racing, but foremost I will miss all my friends I’ve met through this amazing sport. You are a major part of what has kept me continuing to stay in the competition circuit.

 Now I’m looking forward to a new era, but first, I’ll be sad for a little while.”

In an interview with ProXCskiing.com, Malin shares that when the season started, she already knew her career would end after Vasaloppet. From now on, the Swedish skier will focus on her Master’s thesis before beginning work as a management consultant in Stockholm, Sweden. 

“From now forward, I will write my Master’s thesis with my colleague at school, which we have been working on remotely during the season. It’s quite hard to be able to perform a full-time pro-life with a full-time academic life, so I knew that Vasaloppet was my last race from the start of this season to have time to properly focus on the Master thesis,” says Börjesjö.

Before starting her last race, Malin felt sick and almost canceled her farewell to the Ski Classics circuit. However, she managed to start the race thanks to a fast recovery. But despite feeling better, after one week with no training, the 90 kilometers course felt hard for her. Still, Malin managed to finish in the 31st position.

“I promised my friends to enjoy the race, and I really did. I managed to push my body to the limit one last time, and I’m so happy with the result. What I performed on Vasaloppet was exactly what I could push myself to that day,” Malin says and continue: 

“At the finish line, I met Julia Angelsiöö, and I told her that I was quitting, and then we both started crying. So, it was also quite an emotional race for me.”

Having A Last Season With Good Results

Malin’s last performance at Vasaloppet was strong, despite still recovering from sickness. But this was not her only good performance. Throughout the season, she conquered some victories, making this her best season ever.

The Swedish skier won Marathon International de Bessans and Dolomitenlauf, both Ski Classics Challengers events, and Dobbiaco-Cortina and GsieserTal Lauf. 

When asked about her impressions of the season, Malin feels it was successful, despite being very busy.

“I think this season has just flown by! But that is probably also because I’ve been so busy. I started my Master’s thesis at the same time as all the races started, so there was little time to spare outside studies and training. The best moment so far has been winning Dobbiaco-Cortina. And this after minimal recovery after racing the evening before in Alpe Siusi.”

Malin feels that her goals have been achieved. 

“I have performed at my maximum capacity, and I couldn’t ask much more from my body,” she said. 

And when asked about her secret for the improved performance, Malin believes that staying in Predazzo with Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino from December until now has been crucial for her.

“Without my team’s support, no results I have achieved this year would have been possible. I have got the best possible support with incredible skis the entire season and great support around the competitions as well. I will miss them next year.”

Malin Börjesjö and her teammates from Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino at Bad Gastein PTT Season XIV. Photo: Magnus Östh/Ski Classics.

Now that her athletic career is over, Malin Börjesjö is going on an extended vacation. And then, she will start a new career in Stockholm, Sweden.

For the remaining Pro Tour athletes, next up is Birkebeinerrennet on Saturday, March 18. The race marks the 12th event of Ski Classics and the fourth and final Gran Classics Season XIV.

The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)

  • Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
  • Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
  • Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km 
  • Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
  • Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
  • Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km 
  • Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
  • Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
  • Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
  • Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
  • Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
  • Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
  • Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
  • Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com

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