Johannes Dale-Skjevdal’s career has been, to put it mildly, a series of ups and downs, slipping from the World Cup to the IBU Cup, regaining form, returning then going back down. Now, after starting the season with three consecutive IBU Cup victories, he is back in the top circuit: finishing fifth in the Hochfilzen Pursuit and leading off Norway’s dominating Relay win on Sunday.

The 28-year-old’s travails are easily explained: he is among the many talented athletes in the ultra-deep Norwegian system, with someone equally as talented ready to take your place any moment. Dale-Skjevdal would be a team leader on many squads, with 15 career World Cup podiums including three victories plus three IBU WCH medals since his 2019 debut. After a solid summer of training and the birth of his first child, but without an automatic World Cup ticket, he was under pressure to qualify last month in Geilo. Even though sixth in the final mass start, Norway’s young guns including now Yellow Bib Johan Olav-Botn and his veteran teammate Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen earned the Oestersund World Cup starts. Three dominating victories with 90% shooting in Obertilliach and Dale-Skjevdal was back for Hochfilzen. Two sprint penalties doomed him to 16th, but a one-penalty pursuit found him in the Flower Ceremony and back leading off the relay Sunday. Victory ensued, now on to Le Grand Bornand, but as always, looking over his shoulder.

After his one-spare relay lead-off leg, he answered our Five Burning Questions and a Bonus about his Christmas holiday plans.

Biathlonworld: You were obviously disappointed in Geilo after not making the World Cup team; how did you mentally refocus on the IBU Cup?

Johannes Dale-Skjevdal: Obviously, it is pretty hard to race in the IBU Cup, especially when you are used to and want race in the World Cup. For me, it is important to be able to switch on and off, when you are focused and not focused. If I only think about what I could do differently or where I wanted to be, it would be very difficult and I would have a shit life! If I switch on and off, I am more relaxed and have a good mental state, when I was able to race. That was the key factor for me.

BW: Does having a new son help at times like that and maybe change how you visualize yourself as an athlete?

JD-S: I really think so, because now biathlon is still super-important to me, but it is not the most important thing. It’s really good to have something to come home to. That is bigger than life in biathlon. That makes you more relaxed in everyday life. When you are home, you are focused on that and when training, focused on that. It has been really helpful to not think about biathlon all the time. My son is the real champion here!

BW: What did winning those three consecutive IBU Cup races do for your confidence whether it got you back to the World Cup or not?

JD-S: It made a huge difference to my confidence, I got to show that my shape is really, really good and I can put together good biathlon races. In one way, it was good because I had less pressure. In the other way, there was a lot of pressure because I knew I had to win, but actually less pressure because I knew I would be able to fight for the win. You could say it was a good warm-up.

BW: Last year, you called yourself “a hidden tiger, especially on the last lap of a race,” was that what happened in the pursuit when you steadily moved from 16th at the start to 5th at the finish?

JD-S: I think so. It was a really good climb, for sure I was really happy with the pursuit. I always like these races where it is a bit tight, man-to-man and you have to be offensive. I enjoyed it and got to use a bit of my hidden tiger. I think I handled it quite good mentally.

BW: Your shooting is better than ever, what changed this summer?

JD-S: What changed this summer is always difficult to say. I really prioritized shooting more. I had shooting in almost all the hard sessions I did. Maybe before, I had more hard sessions with high heart rate without shooting, so this year I focused on having all my high heart rate sessions with shooting, because that is most relevant. That made the difference and treated me well now.

Biathlonworld Bonus: Christmas is coming, what will you do on Christmas Eve and Day now that you are family of three?

JD-S: I am really looking forward to Christmas now. I always look forward to Christmas but maybe more now that I have a son at home. He is only 3 months old and doesn’t understand anything, but I am looking forward to coming home. That is the most important part. We will go straight up to my cabin in Sjusjoen where we have a lot of snow. On Christmas Eve, I will have an easy morning, with a good breakfast with a cup of coffee, do some easy skiing and come home to spend a perfect Christmas day. I will have some relaxing days; that will be good for the body and mind. I am looking forward to Christmas more than ever before!

With his well-balanced biathlon life and good shape, don’t be surprised if Johannes Dale-Skjevdal adds another individual World Cup podium to his resume in the coming weeks.

Photos: IBU/ Christian Manzoni, Leo Authamayou, Nordic Focus