O-Ringen Magazine. Nr 2 - 2022

The Öberg
sisters love
for O-Ringen
is great
We are used to seeing them with skis on their feet and a rifle on
their back. But sisters Hanna and Elvira Öberg know what it's all
about when it comes to orienteering too. The whole family ran
orienteering during the sisters' upbringing, and O-Ringen was of
course an important feature every summer.
– Biathlon and orienteering have a lot in common, says the two
biathlon stars in an interview with O-Ringen magazine.
TEXT NICLAS LIDSTRÖM PHOTO PER DANIELSSON, NICLAS LIDSTRÖM
Olympic medals, World cup medals
and world championship victories.
The list of successes for Hanna
and Elvira Öberg on the ski track
is long, but there was a time when summers
were devoted to other things than bare ground
training before a biathlon season.
– I ran a lot of orienteering until I started
high school. The summers where devoted
to running orienteering, says Hanna Öberg.
The whole family ran orienteering and
O-Ringen was important to us. The sisters
tell us that as they lived in Norrbotten they
travelled quite a bit in car and caravan to
competitions around Sweden.
– I have run O-Ringen six or seven times.
The last time was in 2013 when O-Ringen
was held in Boden. I got to run D18 elite
and if we put it this way, there is a reason
why I am doing biathlon and not orienteering,
says Hanna with a smile.
Elvira does not have the same experience
in orienteering as her older sister, the World
Cup runner-up in biathlon from last season
was more interested in football.
– I know how to read a map and how to
get around, says Elvira with a laugh.
Since older sister Hanna turned 18, the
commitment to biathlon was total and orienteering
had to take a back seat. But Hanna
still has something dreamy in her eyes when
she talks about her orienteering memories.
– I have always enjoyed orienteering.
There are so many similarities between
orienteering and biathlon. It's not just about
having the best physique. Just like in biathlon,
it's not about who runs the fastest, but
it's also about keeping your wits about you.
Hanna talks about how much fun it was to
travel to competitions together with the family.
Even though the distances where long, it
was an important part of her and her sister's
upbringing that she looks back on fondly.
– The time together with the family, meeting
friends who also orienteered from other
parts of the country.
Elvira also emphasizes the community
from camps and competitions.
– I made many friends in orienteering.
There was a lot of time in competitions and
time with the family.
Can you, Hanna, consider taking
up orienteering again after your
biathlon career is over?
– Yes, I have actually thought about the
fact that after my career, I would like to run
orienteering again.
Hanna does not run any real competitions
in orienteering, but she appears from time to
time at smaller competitions in Östersund,
especially sprint orienteering.
– I've probably increased my running
speed since I stopped competing in orienteering,
but I haven't gotten better with the
technique, says Hanna with a smile.
– I also ran a sprint competition in
Östersund last spring and it was the first
time in a long time. I am a fast runner, but I
don't have time to read the map. And that is
usually not a good combination.
Elvira, what is it about orienteering and
O-Ringen that makes it so much fun?
– It's this thing about not just running.
Running training has never been my forte,
but as soon as I have a map in my hand,
it has become so much more fun to train.
There is an interruption, and you get to
think about something else.
The love for orienteering and for
O-Ringen be found in both girls. Maybe
we'll see them at O-Ringen in the future.
It's not impossible!
38 O-RINGEN MAGAZINE NR 2 • 2022 O-RINGEN MAGAZINE NR 2 • 2022 39