- Proud to be an ambassador for the race

- He has never been so close to me before the start, so that was nice, says Vilde Nilsen.

The para athlete has eight World Championship golds and two Paralympic silver medals in cross-country skiing to her name, and is one of the ambassadors of the Reistadløpet race. With her grandparents Henriette and Øyvind Johannessen still residing in Setermoen, and with a family cabin in Målsnes, the 23-year-old feels a strong connection to both the Reistadløpet and the region of Inner Troms.

- I am proud to be one of the ambassadors for the race, and I really like the area and the tracks here. I train quite a bit here, says Vilde Nilsen.

The 23-year-old competes for Kvaløysletta ski team, and during the Reistadløpet, there were only four women who managed to beat her in the 34 km distance. Vilde completed the race in 2:12:18, and was only 17 minutes behind Tone Lise Pedersen from Tromsø who won the distance.

- As usual, I hit a wall climbing Orta, where you always think you're at the top, and then there's always a new peak to conquer, says Vilde Nilsen with a laugh.

40 percent less

She has the disease Linear Scleroderma in her left foot, where she has 40 percent less muscle from toe to hip. In addition, she has poorer coordination and balance as a result of the disease.

- After the descent from Orta, where I spent a lot of time in the hockey position, and in the diagonal stride towards Kampenhytta, I got a lot of cramps in my foot. That often happens, so the last 15 kilometers were tough. But it was still fun, with lots of people cheering and a great atmosphere, says Vilde Nilsen.

Very proud

Vilde's mother Kari is from Setermoen, and on Saturday, grandfather Øyvind Johannessen got to accompany his granddaughter to the start.

- It's rare that I get the chance to follow her, so it was big. I am very proud of what she manages to achieve with her handicap. It warms my grandfather's heart a lot, says 83-year-old Øyvind Johannessen.

Kari Johannessen thinks it's fun that Vilde is an ambassador for the race, and remembers that Vilde participated in her first ski race in the Children's Reistadløp.

- She was three years old and the youngest participant, says mother Kari with a smile.

Big goals

Vilde Nilsen is now training towards next year's World Championships in Trondheim. After that, the Paralympics await in 2026.

- Those are my big goals for the coming years, says Vilde, who is pleased that the competition in international para-sports is getting tougher.

She believes the threshold to commit to elite sports is higher for those with disabilities than for able-bodied people.

- Many set limitations for themselves and do not dare to develop their own potential, but I recommend everyone who can to pursue it. For me, sports mean a lot, says Vilde Nilsen.