Q&A With Europa Cup Giant Slalom Champion Kristine Haugen

25-year-old Norwegian World Cup skier Kristine Gjelsten Haugen is no stranger to going fast. Before breaking onto the World Cup with a 26th-place finish in the 2017 night slalom in Flachau, Austria, Haugen cut her teeth in the NCAA ranks at the University of Denver (DU).

While at DU, the Norwegian sensation proved to be one of the most dominant NCAA skiers in the school’s history, capturing four individual NCAA titles and helping the Pioneers take two NCAA team titles in her tenure at the school.

After graduating in 2016, Haugen has dedicated herself to reaching the top of the sport in Europe as an Attacking Viking of the world famous Norwegian national team. In-between getting her feet wet on the Word Cup level, Haugen managed to pick up the 2018 Europa Cup giant slalom title, guaranteeing herself starting spots in any World Cup GS race she chooses this coming season. The rising Norwegian star sat down with Ski Racing Media to talk about her stellar year, her time in the U.S., and what she has planned for the years to come.

SRM: Your last season was quite successful — you won the GS Europa Cup title – how did you experience it? What was difficult or challenging for you? Or maybe easy?

KH: At the beginning of the past season my goal was to get some European Cup podiums in to showcase to my coaches and the Norwegian Federation that I have the level to race at World Cup races. I didn’t think about winning any title. The season just started well, particularly in GS, with the World Cup in Soelden, and throughout the season slalom also turned out better and better. I started to climb in the standings and about mid-season I was able to redefine my goals. Of course, towards the end of the season you know you have to finish and get results in, but I know I was in good shape and doing things when you are in a flow makes things easier.

This was your second year after finishing your career as a college skier for the DU, what was different from your first season back in Europe?

Even though I did pretty well in the races in the U.S., it was, at the beginning, not good enough to be successful in Europe. I needed to step up. My coach on the Europa Cup level helped me to improve on the technical side and I additionally pushed harder on the physical side. The better you are physically the faster you can ski in general so that is always a good thing to do.

What made you choose to go to college in the U.S.? How old were you when you started and why did you pick Denver?

I honestly never thought of another school than the University of Denver due to my brother (Leif Kristian Nestvold-Haugen also skied for the University of Denver and is currently on the Norwegian men’s World Cup team). But my situation was different. With injuries I needed a new start, which would allow me to grow and gather more experience.

During your college time did you also stay in contact with the Norwegian Federation? Did you join them over the summer for camps? Did they support your move to go to the U.S. and attend college?

I choose to study for four years and personally with this decision it was no option for me to go home before that. Nevertheless, I kept the contact with my federation and a good communication throughout my years in Denver, even though I did no camps with them during this time.

Looking back, how would you evaluate and describe your four years of college skiing? What do they mean to you as individual and as skier in your skiing career?

Being a college skier, I was able to grow. I experienced and got to know skiing as a team sport, which very likely is the most positive thing I take with me. Of course, it is tough being a college student, balancing skiing and classes, but I wouldn’t do anything different. These years showcased to me how much I have to work to improve in skiing and of course that everything is give and take.

Haugen will be a familiar face on the World Cup next season. Image Credit: GEPA Pictures/Mario Kneisl

You already knew what racing in Europe was like before you came to Denver; did anything change for you after your college experience and is racing in Europe again different?

When I left Europe for college skiing I wasn’t at the level that I am now. Nevertheless, the level in Europe was high before my time in Denver and it still is. Different from North America; there are more racers and more competing nations – simply more competitors.

Last winter you did a few super-G races, but you kept your focus around slalom and GS. Will you continue this focus? Do you think you could be competitive in the speed disciplines or will the gap of college skiing with just slalom and GS races be too big now?

I will continue to focus on GS and slalom. To improve my GS skiing I will use the opportunity, in case it fits into the schedule, to race the one or more super-Gs. But joining and competing the speed races after four years of college skiing with almost no speed races at all, I don’t know for sure, but I think this would be a hard one.

How are you preparing for next season? Are you going overseas for summer skiing?

I have been on an eight week strength and conditioning program followed by three weeks of vacation, which of course didn’t mean no training. I am just about to go for one week of skiing at the Folgefonna glacier here in Norway. Later, we will go for three weeks in Chile, which will be my first time, so this is really exciting.

What are your goals this year and at which races will we be able to see you?

Well, naturally, I would like to climb the ladder on the World Cup. I will be racing all World Cup slaloms and GS races next season as well as some European Cup races that fit in. Together with my coaches I will try to find the right balance.