Svindal to help Norway’s national team in the 2026/27 season

Aksel Lund Svindal has rejoined the Norwegian team. In the 2026/27 season, the two-time Olympic champion will assist the athletes and coaching staff during selected periods, rather than travelling with the team throughout the entire season. The Norwegian Ski Federation announced the agreement on 20 October.

The work has already begun in Sölden (Austria), where the men’s team are preparing for the World Cup opener, scheduled for this Sunday. Svindal is currently with the group of athletes competing in the technical disciplines. According to Swiss broadcaster SRF, he will initially work mainly with Norway’s slalom and giant slalom specialists.

Norway men’s head coach Michael Rottensteiner confirmed that the cooperation had indeed begun with the men’s World Cup team in these disciplines. However, the coaching staff do not intend to limit Svindal’s role to this area in advance.

“We have decided to focus on four or five blocks this winter. During these periods, Aksel will join us as a coach,” Rottensteiner said. He added: “We started with the men’s World Cup team, but we do not want to make a final decision straight away. We want things to develop naturally.”

According to Rottensteiner, Svindal’s experience could prove useful not only in working with specific technical disciplines. The Norwegian will be able to take part in preparations for major events, help athletes return after serious injuries and support their motivation. In addition, his knowledge is intended to be used in developing athletes, strengthening team spirit, preparing for competition days and overcoming difficult periods.

“I like the fact that he can help us with athlete development, building team spirit, performing on competition days, hard work and overcoming injuries,” the head coach said.

The idea for this cooperation came from the Norwegian athletes and coaches themselves. During the summer, they approached Svindal and suggested that he consider how he might work with the team. Aksel was interested in the offer, but intends to combine the new role with his other responsibilities. The agreement with the federation allows him to join the programme at specific points during the season, without travelling with the team every week.

“I believe in this project,” Svindal said.

Rottensteiner believes that the former athlete’s presence will create an opportunity for not only the team members but also the coaching staff to develop. “I see huge potential in Aksel supporting the athletes as well as the staff working with the team – his experience is invaluable. I am pleased to learn from him as a coach,” the Norwegian coach said.

Svindal already has experience working outside his own competitive career. He worked successfully with Lindsey Vonn during her return to the World Cup circuit and preparations for the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Vonn has been named in the United States team for the new season, but after a serious fall at the Olympics in Italy, she faces at least one more operation and a lengthy recovery period.

During his career, Svindal won two Olympic gold medals, five world titles and two overall World Cup titles. At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, he won the super-G, took silver in the downhill and bronze in the giant slalom. In 2018, the Norwegian added downhill gold at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. He won the overall World Cup in 2007 and 2009.

Aksel ended his sporting career in 2019 after several years of dealing with the consequences of injuries. Now his own experience of competing, recovering and preparing for the biggest events will become part of the Norwegian team’s work.

Norwegian Ski Federation director Klaus Riste also stressed the value of the new cooperation. According to him, Svindal’s experience as an athlete and coach will help improve the preparation of team members. Rottensteiner plans to use Aksel’s knowledge in such a way that he can gradually build relationships with the athletes and coaches and become involved in the programme as effectively as possible.

“A good team, a good line-up, huge experience — all of this matters,” Rottensteiner said.

During the coming season, the coaching staff will assess the areas in which Svindal can be of greatest benefit to the team. For now, the first stage of his work remains Sölden, where he has already joined the Norwegian alpine skiers specialising in the technical disciplines.

Photo: social media, HEAD press office 16:04 21.10.26