Only the day before, Savely Korostelev, in brilliant style, snatched victory from three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov. Now the main hope of Russian skiing has gone to conquer Europe, where, we hope, in the near future it will compete with the vaunted Norwegians.

“Almost 100% guarantee”

22-year-old Korostelev looks very good this season, ahead of most of the national team leaders in the overall standings of the PhosAgro Russian Cup. Saveliy is second only to Sergei Ardashev. True, in Tyumen he was unable to oppose anything to the young and courageous athlete in distance races, where Korostelev made a winning double.

Now all of Russia is awaiting the decision of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) on our athletes, who will receive neutral status allowing them to participate in the selection for the 2026 Olympic Games. Many agree that Savely is one of the Russian skiers whose chances of admission are the greatest. This is recognized both here and even in Norway.

— Only those athletes who are not members of the security forces have the opportunity to go to the Olympics or the World Cup. We don’t have many of those on our team. There are those who have an almost 100% guarantee – these are Savely Korostelev, Sergey Volkov, Daria Nepryaeva,” said Elena Vyalbe, President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, on Match TV.

Savely Korostelev and Elena Vyalbe / Photo: © Russian Ski Federation, RIA Novosti / Ramil Sitdikov

“It’s like going to a casino”

On December 12, the next stage of the World Cup starts in Davos, where, if admitted, our athletes can qualify for the Olympics. There are only four days left before the start of the competition in Switzerland, and the chances of granting neutral status and straightening out all bureaucratic procedures are disappearing literally every hour.

But no difficulties scared Korostelev on the way to fulfilling his dream – participation in the Olympic Games. Immediately after the stage in Tyumen, well aware of the adventurousness of the act, Savely and his coaching staff went to Davos to take part in the race if allowed.

— The athlete himself chooses: to go or not to go. Because if you go and hope for admission to Davos, it’s the same as going to a casino and playing roulette. But Savely is a desperate guy,” Match TV quotes Russian national team coach Yegor Sorin as saying.

This decision will help Savely prepare properly for the start. During his stay in Switzerland, the skier will have time to fully acclimatize. Also, he will not need to get used to snow, weather conditions, and in everyday life there is time to master it.

In case of an unsuccessful outcome, the coaching staff prepared a backup plan for the athlete. He will be preparing for future competitions in the Swiss mountains. Naturally, the whole country would like everything to work out for Savely, and he would be able to compete with the Norwegians, who are destroying interest in skiing with their dominance at the World Cup: the first seven places in the last race remained with representatives of this country!