Magdalena Fjällström - our next ski queen?
Västerbotten Lappland has produced a great many skiing champions this century and last. This is not least true of Tärna IK Fjällvinden, one of the world's most successful clubs in downhill skiing. The club's latest rising star is Magdalena "Monne" Fjällström. Born in 1995, she is ranked as one of Sweden's best in her age group and normally trains together with Anja Pärson.
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- Anja peps me up and eggs me on. She's a fantastic role model, says Magdalena Fjällström.
Downhill skiing was a natural choice for Magdalena. If you live close to the legendary slopes in Tärnaby, where superstars like Ingemar Stenmark, Anja Pärson and Jens Byggmark built their careers. it's difficult to choose anything else.
- Mom took me along to the slopes when I was three and skied down with me in a harness in front of her. Since then I've focused on downhill skiing. I've never considered any other sport and I don't like cross-country skiing, she goes on.
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High class slopes at Tärnaby
The prerequisites for downhill skiers at Tärnaby are excellent. Here Magdalena can ski as much as she wants on advanced competition slopes between the end of October and May. Many other young people of her age have to travel a long way to find comparable conditions.
- For the most part we train on the Ingemar slope and it's really good. I see a lot of other slopes when I travel to competitions and Tärnaby is very good in comparison. The Anja slope is great for giant slalom. It has both steep and level stretches and demands a lot from a skier.
The same pistes as the superstars
She finds it an inspiration to be skiing on the same slopes as other world-famous Tärnaby skiers.
- I look up to them and want to be as good as they are.
And she's come a good part of the way. Her victories in the prestigious national youth championships First of May and Miss Rossignol prove that she is one of Sweden's most promising women skiers.
- I'm goal-oriented and I like to train hard. And downhill skiing is what I like doing most. And as long as it is, I can probably continue to develop. At the moment I train four days a week and I take part in competitions almost every weekend during peak season. But it's important to have rest days in-between and do other things. Otherwise there's a risk that you'll get tired of it.
Magdalena's father Patrik helps her relax and take it easy during these breaks. He is her coach and is very particular abut rest days.
- It's quite OK to have dad as my coach. There's a lot of skiing talk at home too, but it's real fun.
Giant slalom her favourite
She has so far taken her greatest victories in slalom events, but her real favourite is giant slalom.
- Giant slalom is more difficult; it demands more timing and feel than slalom. In slalom you just have to go at it, she laughs.
Downhill and Super G are not as common on the competition calendar for skiers born in 1995 as slalom and giant slalom, but whenever she gets the chance she skis those too.
- I like speed. And steep, challenging slopes.
Tips and advice from Anja
These comments might well have come from Anja Pärson. Magdalena also has the great advantage of knowing Anja and trains with her now and again.
- It's an incredible kick to train with her. When I ski with Anja, the focus is exclusively on training. She encourages me to give everything I've got and she's also helped me when I've had problems with my technique. But you have to have off-days in order to have good days, she always says.
Peak season means a lot of travelling to competitions but she nonetheless considers herself well off compared to many of her competitors.
I live and train in a place where the possibilities for downhill skiing are fantastic and that has an incredibly inspiring skiing tradition. And now we also have a national skiing upper secondary school in Tärnaby so I won't need to move in order to get better training when I begin seventh grade.
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