Sweden was by far the most successful nation at ESOC, winning all but two of the gold medals. Magdalena Olsson won two individual golds, and Jonatan Ståhl and young Ella Turesson won one each. Home nation Finland (Niklas Ekstrӧm and Aapo Viippola) won the other two individual golds.
Sweden took home ten individual medals in all, plus the Sprint Relay won by this year’s two World Cup overall winners Magdalena Olsson and Jonatan Ståhl (cover image), with Finland taking six individual medals and Norway, without the injured Jørgen Baklid, three. The event was well organized, with fine courses, plenty of snow and good weather. Competitors were stretched with four races in four days, and their technical abilities were tested to the full, especially in the Middle race, on very varied terrain.
Unlucky injury for Baklid
Baklid was unfortunate to have to miss ESOC, and therefore finish the season with one race short of the seven counting for a World Cup overall score. He won five of the six races he competed in, and but for his injury, suffered in training just before ESOC, he would surely have won overall to take his fourth World Cup title in succession. Ståhl, counting seven races, finished in top position, 102 points ahead of Baklid; aged 24, this is a great result for him – his first season in the top three. Niklas Ekstrӧm was third; he was second overall in 2024 and third in 2023.
Jørgen Baklid in action – World Cup round 2
Three Norwegians in the top six in the men’s standings, plus Anna Ulvensøen second in the women’s, shows a depth of talent that brought many good scores for Norway through the World Cup season – Norway ended second to Sweden in the Team World Cup with only 9 points fewer.
Baklid continues to head the men’s World Rankings, ahead of Ståhl, with Ekstrӧm third.
New young stars in women’s top six
Four of the women’s top six are over 30 years of age, whilst the oldest in the men’s top six is 27! In the women’s list, Olsson, Ulvensøen, Frida Sandberg (SWE) and Daisy Kudre Schnyder (EST) all kept their form from previous years. Olsson also won last year, and this is her fifth top-six position. Ella Turesson (SWE) and Amanda Yli Futka (FIN), both 21, complete the women’s top six; both showed they will be a force to be reckoned with in future seasons.
Yli Futka has competed widely this season and is now third in the women’s World Rankings, behind the leader Olsson and second-placed Ulvensøen. Turesson is fourth.
Amanda Yli Futka – ESOC Middle race Photo: Timo Mikkola (also cover image)
Finland, Norway and Sweden all have promising youngsters coming through into senior ranks, as shown by the under-23 standings, headed by the two Finns Yli Futki and Ekstrӧm. One non-Scandinavian, Gustavs Stana from Latvia, has broken into the under-23 top six; Czechia, Estonia, Latvia and Switzerland all came away from Finland with gold medals at junior level.
SkiO World Cup 2025 – leading final scores
7 best scores from 9 races
Women
- Magdalena Olsson SWE 720 points
- Anna Ulvensøen NOR 566
- Frida Sandberg SWE 497
- Ella Turesson SWE 453
- Daisy Kudre Schnyder EST 450
- Amanda Yli Futka FIN 445
Men
- Jonatan Ståhl SWE 637
- Jørgen Baklid NOR 535 (6 races)
- Niklas Ekstrӧm FIN 500
- Aapo Viippola FIN 437
- Styrk Kamsvaag NOR 379
- Vegard Gulbrandsen NOR 354
Under-23 World Cup 2025
Same races as above, 7 best scores
Women
- Amanda Yli Futka FIN 740
- Ella Turesson SWE 650
- Maria Hoskari FIN 505
- Nina Karna FIN 425
- Anna Aasa SWE 376
- Frida Haugskott NOR 352
Men
- Niklas Ekstrӧm FIN 687
- Isak Lundholm SWE 660
- Teodor Mo Hjelseth NOR 475
- Pyry Riissanen FIN 440
- Ole Gunnar Kleppa Madslien NOR 357
- Gustavs Stana LAT 339
Team World Cup 2025
Points totalled from all races
- Sweden 330 points
- Norway 321
- Finland 308
- Estonia 235
- Switzerland 221
- Czechia 183