For U.S. skier and trail running star Sophia Laukli, these championships come with an added layer of excitement and motivation. She’s looking forward to competing in what feels like a “home” World Championships.

Laukli, a 2022 Olympian, has become known for her dual-sport dominance—excelling both on the World Cup cross-country skiing circuit and as one of the top trail runners in the world. The University of Utah graduate made headlines last season by securing her first FIS World Cup win in the final stage of the Tour de Ski. She also claimed the overall title in the prestigious Golden Trail Series, solidifying her reputation as one of the best short-distance trail runners in the world. Now, with the World Championships underway, she’s eager to see how her unique training approach plays into her winter racing.

“I think the running training and races I’ve done this past year can definitely help benefit my winter racing,” Laukli says. “The longer distances and efforts in running will especially transfer to racing a 50km and overall endurance.”

Familiar Territory

This year’s World Championships are being held in Norway, where Laukli now lives. With her fluency in Norwegian and deep familiarity with the country, Trondheim offers a home-away-from-home atmosphere that she hopes will give her an extra boost.

“I’m very excited to be racing in Norway for World Champs,” she says. “It’s probably the next best thing to having World Champs in the U.S., so I’m for sure extra motivated this time around. I hope that will work to my advantage!”

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Personal Goals Beyond the Podium

The U.S. cross-country team has been on an upward trajectory this season, delivering impressive performances across the World Cup circuit. Laukli sees this momentum carrying into Worlds, fostering a sense of confidence and higher expectations among her teammates.

“This is a World Champs where more and more of us on the U.S. team have bigger performance goals at the championships,” she explains. “That comes from overall improvements the past few years for our team, so I think we will go into racing these World Champs with more confidence and higher expectations, which is really exciting.”

While results are always a focal point at a championship event, Laukli has additional goals that extend beyond the number on the result list. She’s aiming to refine her race strategies and learn as much as possible from her preparation leading into these competitions.

“Putting more of an emphasis on race strategy and tactics is something I have been working on more, so I’m hoping I can take that to these World Champs,” she says. “In addition, this is the first championship where I’ve really had more dedication and focus on my lead-up and training going into the races, so I’m hoping it’s a learning experience in seeing what works and what doesn’t—especially with the Olympics next year.”

Read more: Jessie Diggins eyes Trondheim World Champs: “I Want to Give It Everything”

Looking Ahead: Post-World Championships Plans

As for what comes next, Laukli is taking a more measured approach to her post-World Championships season. After a long winter and back-to-back years of intense competition across both skiing and trail running, she’s prioritising recovery before shifting focus to her summer racing.

“The way the World Champs schedule and timing works this year, I’m pretty much done with the season after Trondheim, so I can shift focus to running,” she shares. “Last year, I rushed into running and didn’t give myself any time off, so I’m going to end the season early this year and be done after the World Cup in Oslo, to prioritize a break before I start running in April.”

But for now, all eyes are on Trondheim. 

Read more: Gus Schumacher: Riding momentum into the World Championships

FACTS 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships

• When: Wednesday, February 26, to Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Trondheim, Norway
• What: FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025

Read More: Cross-country skiing program for the Trondheim World Championships