Went Solo with a Stunt: – Cost Me a Lot

Gyda Westvold Hansen (22) and the women’s Nordic Combined athletes finally receive long-awaited recognition as the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim break barriers.

– I have dreamed of competing in a home FIS Nordic World Ski Championship since I was a little girl.

Her heart beats a little faster when the 22-year-old talks about the upcoming FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in her hometown of Trondheim.

This winter, Nordic Combined star Gyda Westvold Hansen will attempt to defend her FIS Nordic World Ski Championship title from 2023.

However, her FIS Nordic World Ski Championship dream seemed far-fetched when she faced a career-defining choice in her teenage years.

– There wasn’t much to look forward to when I was 16.

The road to the opening day in Granåsen on February 27, 2025, has been extended—immensely long—for one of the most influential athletes in Nordic Combined.

Power Lies in the People

February 27, 2021, Oberstdorf

Alone in majestic triumph, the Nansen athlete raises her arms as she crosses the finish line, becoming the first-ever world champion in women’s Nordic Combined.

Exactly four years after Westvold Hansen wrote her name in history with golden letters, she will attempt to win her third consecutive FIS Nordic World Ski Championship title in a historic home championship.

At the same time, the pioneer fought an intense, demanding, and exhausting battle for the future of her sport.

– I won’t deny that it takes more energy than just focusing on the sport itself, Westvold Hansen admits.

The 22-year-old has been one of the most prominent faces in the fight for women’s rights in Nordic Combined.

Went Solo with a Stunt: – Cost Me a Lot

Ahead of the season opener in Beitostølen in 2022, the historic gold medalist, inspired by the Norwegian Ski Federation, had a “beard“ drawn on her face.

The stunt was meant to highlight the injustice after women’s Nordic Combined was recently informed that it would be the only one of 16 disciplines at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy where both genders would not be represented.

– I didn’t want to have a beard drawn on my face, Westvold Hansen admits.

– I knew that if I did, the beard would overshadow the sporting aspect.

Then, the thoughts started spinning.

– But if the beard could make things easier for everyone else in the sport and the next generation, then I would do it gladly.

All the women on the national team were offered the chance to participate in the “beard” stunt. However, according to Westvold Hansen, who acknowledges that “the day cost me an extreme amount“, she was the only one who agreed to do it.

– Looking back, we probably should have all done it together. But I’m glad I did it, and that we put our challenges in the sport on the agenda, says Westvold Hansen.

– Only four of us national team athletes on the starting line were given the offer. I thought it was a bit wrong for just the four of us to wear beards while the others, who might have shared the same opinion, did not, says teammate Ida Marie Hagen.

However, the entire starting field marked their protest by making an X with their ski poles before the race. The X symbolized “No Exception”—no exclusions.

The stunt received international attention and was the first of several protests led by Westvold Hansen. Later that season, all nations marked their stance with an X before the start and even competed with “beards” during the season finale.

– If our protests make things easier for the next generation, then I will continue to prioritize them, says Westvold Hansen.

She takes a moment to reflect before continuing:

– It wasn’t easy for me to dare to pursue a career in Nordic Combined. I wish I had had role models in my sport to look up to.

No One to Learn From

When she was 16 and had to decide on a potential sports career, she faced a significant dilemma.

– It wasn’t easy to figure out what I wanted to do. I tried every sport imaginable, but one stood out—Nordic Combined.

However, at that time, only men were allowed to compete in the Olympics, FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, and World Cup.

– These are the competitions you dream of participating in as a little girl, but there was no one to learn from, says the cousin of cross-country skiing legend Therese Johaug.

With no role models in her sport, she had to choose a defining career.

– I had to take my time and consider whether I dared to take the risk and go for it.

– But then we started getting signals that people were working hard to make it happen. That’s when I decided to take a chance and go for it.

Now, eight years after the first women’s Nordic Combined World Cup race, she is gearing up for her third consecutive FIS Nordic World Ski Championship.

– We have seen incredible progress. Things have developed faster than I expected, especially with the level of performance we see among the women. We’ve almost had to hold back a little, says Lasse Ottesen, the competition director for Nordic combined at the International Ski Federation (FIS).

– The development is truly impressive, and we see the competition getting tighter and tighter, with more nations bringing athletes to the top, he continues.

Westvold Hansen is looking forward to one of the greatest moments of her career and hopes that “young girls and boys will think Nordic Combined is something they want to try” after watching the world’s best compete for medals in Granåsen.

– I’ve been looking forward to this for years and hope it meets expectations. I’ll do everything I can to be in the best shape of my life, and of course, I dream of an individual FIS Nordic World Ski Championship gold, says Hansen.

Convinced of Olympic Inclusion: – Would Be Extremely Surprised

Trondheim 2025 has worked to include two additional Nordic Combined events for women.

With the equality project “Like Muligheter,” Thon Hotels, and Coop, Trondheim 2025 has helped secure equal prize money for men and women for the first time in history. This standard will apply to all future FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

As a result, three women’s Nordic Combined events are now on the program for the first time, compared to two in previous FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

– The development is going in the right direction. More and more girls are joining every season, and it’s getting harder to reach the podium each year, says Austria’s Lisa Hirner, who was part of the bronze-winning team in the mixed team event in Planica.

– It’s a strong signal for us, and an essential step toward getting into the Olympics, says Germany’s Jenny Nowak.

Competition director Ottesen is convinced that women’s Nordic Combined will be included in the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.

– I’d be extremely surprised if women’s Nordic combined isn’t included in 2030, says Ottesen.

– I hope he’s right. That would be an exciting breakthrough, replies Westvold Hansen.

– It’s crucial for the younger athletes to have something to strive for. If we want the sport to grow, they need to see a future in it.