Got inspired by an unusual situation

Sandra Hansson’s journey through the world of cross-country skiing is unlike anyone else’s. The now 44-year-old mother of two has experienced so many thrilling and unusual things in her career that it might become a book in the end.

But right now, she is enjoying life as a mother to young children at home in Uddevalla and thanks an ex-Yugoslav bank robber for making her one of the world’s best long-distance skiers.

A Long and Complicated Story

The story is both long and complicated, also surrounded by death and quick turns.

“I was in the junior national team and was a talent. There were four of us whom the SOK (Swedish Olympic Committee) picked to aim for the 2006 Olympics. But after a camp in Sognefjell in 2001, I got stomach issues. It was probably something with the drinking water, and I had low iron levels. But no one figured out what it was,” says Hansson to Langd.se.

Sandra didn’t want to give up her career, but she couldn’t fully commit, so she moved to Uppsala, where she began studying to become a physiotherapist.

“For 1-2 years, I was out, and people thought it was a parasite. I got a job at Handelsbanken in Färgelanda in Dalsland and moved back home.”

“One day in the fall, the bank was robbed at 5:15 PM. It was in 2006, and an ex-Yugoslav robbed us. The strange thing was that my mom also worked in a bank and was robbed twice.”

From Bank Robbery to Pursuing a Career in Oslo

For Sandra, it marked the end of her banking job. She put her CV out there and got a job offer in Oslo.

“I am a big fan of Norway, and thanks to the bank robber, I now had a chance to resume training in Oslo, where I worked as a controller. For the 2007 season, I trained about 80 percent and made a comeback.”

But it was in her debut at Vasaloppet that she realized she could be really good at long-distance races. She wasn’t allowed to start in the elite group, but SVT helped and ensured she got the opportunity.

“I caught up with Elin Ek and fought at the top. I finished fourth and was probably the happiest fourth-place finisher ever at Vasaloppet,” says Sandra Hansson, who won Vasaloppet on her second attempt.

“I was good at double poling early on, and I might have made a comeback in the national team as well. In Beitostølen, I skied on par with Kristin Størmer Steira and Vibeke Skofterud, but the Swedish (Ski) Association thought I was too old, and I didn’t participate in the selections in Sweden.”

SVT Ended the Broadcast When She Won Vasaloppet

Sandra has also clearly noticed how women’s sports have developed, especially at Vasaloppet.

“The first year I won, SVT ended the broadcast when I was in Moraparken. It wasn’t popular, and the following year, I had a helicopter over me the whole way to the end. That time, we only had one sprint prize and half the prize money compared to the men.”

Behind her victories at Vasaloppet was also a secret. Sandra’s father was seriously ill with lung cancer, and she skied for him.

“When I surprised everyone and won, I cried with joy. That’s when my dad, who the doctors said didn’t have long left, said, ‘I’ll be there next year too.’ And he was there again the next time, and he actually lived for another year.”

The personal struggle was tough, and her dad died five days before Sandra won the Jizerska Padesatka in the Czech Republic. Now, her mom is also gone, and she lives alone with her two young children in Uddevalla.

“It’s a nice age now. I have prioritized the kids because this time, I won’t get back.”

Loves Norway – Has a Cabin in Lygna

And she loves Norway. She competed for Norwegian Strindheim IL and had both Inge Bråten and Ole Thonstad as mentors, the same people who helped Petter Northug Jr.

In the 2008/2009 season, she was part of the Norwegian Team Mekonomen with Thomas Alsgaard, Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen, and others. Then, it became Team United Bakeries.

“Today, I have a cabin in Lygna, north of Oslo. I feel at home in Norway, and there we have snow and great conditions. Norwegians are also so inclusive and social,” says the skier who had to retire in 2001 to make a comeback in 2007.

Considering a Comeback

Believe it or not, somewhere in her mind, there’s a thought of a possible comeback in the long-distance circuit. Sandra is curious about how far she could go today.

“I feel super strong in training and think I could easily finish among the top ten.”

In Sweden, she competed for Uddevalla IS and grew up in Bäckefors in Dalsland. She attended the ski high school in Torsby from 1996 to 2000.

Sandra Hansson participated in the Youth Olympics in 1997 and three Junior World Championships from 1998 to 2000 before she got sick. Among other things, she won a gold medal in the relay at the Junior World Championships in Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia, together with Lina Andersson, Carin Holmberg, and Mariana Handler. The Vasaloppet victories came in 2008 and 2009. She was also second in 2010.

• Name: Sandra Hansson
• Born/Age: 1980/44 years old
• Residence: Uddevalla
• Occupation: Economist/entrepreneur. Likes to work as a cross-country ski coach with a focus on long-distance races/Vasaloppet
• Family: Mother of Alva, 7 years, and Elin, 4 years
• Clubs as an athlete: Bäckefors IF, Bengtsfors Bois, Arvika IS, IFK Mora Ski Club, Rustad IL, Strindheim IL
• Ended career: 2015
• My best memory from the career: Crossing the finish line and winning Vasaloppet, that was the biggest. I cried for the first time in my life with joy. Also, when I had food poisoning the day before and managed to push myself and win the Finlandia Ski Marathon, securing the overall long-distance World Cup. Crazy, but I brought home the victory.
• What I miss from my active career: All the travel destinations and nature experiences one visited during the ski career and all the wonderful people one met in the skiing environment. Constantly working on development/evaluation/planning in various areas. The feeling when you have a day when your body is on top was “unstoppable,” just needing a small downhill to feel refreshed and ready for a full attack again. Pure mix of joy and adrenaline. Also, the joy of coaching at summer ski schools and also adult skiers to develop their skiing potential.
• How I follow sports today: I read a lot about the results on the internet but rarely watch the races on TV/tablet. I still miss the sport, so it’s a bit tough to watch the races.
• My hobbies today: I love going to my mountain cabin “Vasahyttan” in Lygna, Norway. I sometimes rent it out via an ad but go there as often as I can. It’s fun to be there with my daughters and play in the snow both with and without skis. Being there even without my daughters and going on lovely ski tours both skating and classic. Enjoying snow, silence, and Norwegian nature. On dryland, I like roller skiing, running, strength training, MTB, and kayaking. I value and prioritize time with family and friends. I just bought a caravan for camping in different places, it’s nice to bring a kayak/SUP so we also get out on the sea and lakes.

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