10 Athletes to Watch at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds World Cup Stage

10 Athletes to Watch at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds World Cup Stage

On Wednesday, the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds will host a FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup stage featuring 17 Estonian athletes. But which international stars should you keep an eye on? We present ten top skiers, some of whom have unique connections to Estonia.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Norway)

Who else but the newly crowned ski king of the Trondheim World Championships? After making history by winning six gold medals in Trondheim, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has a strong personal connection to Estonia. In addition to his grandfather living in Estonia, the Norwegian star secured his first-ever World Cup victory in Otepää in 2017. Two years ago, at the Tallinn World Cup stage, the 28-year-old Klæbo once again took the victory "home," stating: "I felt at home! These city sprints are very challenging, especially when the spectators are so close to the course!"

Erik Valnes (Norway)

Norway’s second sprint star alongside Klæbo, Erik Valnes is an Olympic and World Champion in team sprint. Estonian fans should pay attention to him, especially since his powerful finishing kick has earned him the nickname "Valnes Express" among his teammates. Valnes has something to chase in Tallinn – he currently trails Klæbo by 43 points in the World Cup sprint standings.

Even Northug (Norway)

Even Northug, the younger brother of double Olympic champion Petter Northug, made it to the podium at the 2023 Tallinn World Cup stage, finishing third behind Klæbo and Lucas Chavanat. At the recently concluded Trondheim World Championships, he placed 10th. The 29-year-old is also no stranger to entertainment—he participated in the Norwegian TV show Forræder ("Traitor") in 2023, where celebrities had to complete various challenges. However, Northug didn’t fare too well, finishing 15th out of 22 contestants.

Lauri Vuorinen (Finland)

Lauri Vuorinen has been one of Finland’s top ski stars this winter, securing two medals at the Trondheim World Championships. Before this season, he had only reached the World Cup podium twice—finishing second in Falun’s classic sprint in March 2024 and third in Ruka’s classic sprint in November. In addition to his speed, Vuorinen has a keen eye for photography—before his successful season, the 30-year-old worked as the official photographer for Finland’s Olympic team at the Paris Summer Games.

Federico Pellegrino (Italy)

Trondheim World Championship sprint silver medalist Federico Pellegrino has twice won the overall World Cup sprint standings (2016, 2021). This season, he currently sits in sixth place in the sprint rankings. The 34-year-old has confirmed that he will retire after the Milano-Cortina Olympics to spend more time with his family. This summer, he and Italian cross-country skier Greta Laurent are expecting their second child.

Jonna Sundling (Sweden)

After winning four medals at the Trondheim World Championships, Swedish star Jonna Sundling (30) arrives in Tallinn as a strong favorite, having dominated both sprint events in Norway. Although she missed the last World Cup stage in Holmenkollen due to a cold, she is expected to compete in Estonia.

Sundling also has a generous heart—she participated in a Swedish television project in 2024, where her phone call made one lucky Swede a millionaire. "I had to convince the winner for quite some time that it was real and not a prank," Sundling recalled with a smile. Fortunately, the winner was a passionate cross-country skiing fan and used the prize money to participate in the Marcialonga ski marathon.

Jasmi Joensuu (Finland)

Finland’s top female skier is leading the World Cup sprint standings by a significant margin—holding a 148-point lead over Jonna Sundling. However, the Trondheim World Championships were a disappointment for her; she missed the final in the freestyle sprint and collapsed from exhaustion after finishing fourth in the team sprint final. "I literally gave everything I had on the track," the 28-year-old said the next day.

Joensuu also has a strong connection to Estonia—her personal coach at Vantaa Ski Club is Estonian Kalmer Tramm.

Jessie Diggins (USA)

Having already secured the overall World Cup title, Jessie Diggins (33) has faced a challenging end to her season. In December, she struggled with Achilles tendonitis during the Tour de Ski, and at the World Championships, she admitted she was far from her best form. At the last World Cup stage in Holmenkollen, she finished sixth. However, with the overall title secured, she can compete in Tallinn with less pressure. We hope that Diggins, the winner of the previous Tallinn World Cup stage, leaves Estonia with positive emotions. "Exploring your city was so much fun, and the atmosphere during the evening sprint was electric!" she fondly recalled from two years ago.

Nadine Faehndrich (Switzerland)

A double bronze medalist at the Trondheim World Championships, Faehndrich has great memories from Tallinn, where she reached the podium two years ago. The 29-year-old Swiss skier has secured 14 World Cup podiums, including five victories. "Tallinn has an incredible atmosphere. A city sprint like this, where thousands of fans line the track, is exactly how cross-country skiing should be brought closer to the people," she said two years ago.

Coletta Rydzek (Germany)

For Estonian sports fans, the name Rydzek needs no introduction—Coletta’s brother, Johannes, is a double Olympic champion and a fierce rival of Kristjan Ilves in Nordic Combined. The 27-year-old Coletta has one World Cup podium to her name, finishing second in the Lahti freestyle sprint last year. How will she perform in Tallinn?

Event Schedule & Tickets

The women’s qualification for the Tallinn World Cup stage starts on March 19 at 16:30, followed by the men’s qualification at 16:50. The finals take place at 19:00, followed by the awards ceremony. Tickets are available on Piletitasku, and more information about the event can be found at www.tallinn-nordic.ee.