V1 is not Norwegian

A colleague sent me this video of Thomas Alsgaard’s performance in the 2003 VM men’s relay in Val di Fiemme. That day everything went Norway’s way: the Swedes crumbled spectacularly, wasting a huge lead, and the Nogs beat the Germs in the end.

Beyond the epic win, Alsgaard’s skating is a joy to watch. He’s considered one of the best skate skiers in the world. And what strikes me here the absolute absence of V1/enkeldans. He goes systematically in V2/dobbeldans and only shifts to paddling when going over the steepest spots. Conclusion: V1/enkeldans is not Norwegian.