New Alpine Sports Director For The Season – Sweden Is Prepared For The Olympic Year

After the summer, a new organization has taken shape in alpine and ski cross. With both restructuring and several new recruitments in place, the organization is now well prepared for the upcoming season – an Olympic season. It will be a combination of experienced coaches and people with new perspectives who will jointly shape a new training environment from youth to elite in the coming season and in the longer term.

The new sports director for alpine skiing and ski cross, Stefan Dahlsten, took office in June and is positive about what lies ahead “For me, it has been a great start after the summer holidays, and now with a few weeks behind me in my new role, I have a very good feeling about the season,” says Stefan Dahlsten.

The reorganization and recruitment work has been led by national team manager Per Jonsson and national manager Tobias Fellman, who according to Dahlsten have done "a really good job" in forming a stable organization ahead of the start of the season.

Alpina coaching staff 2025/26 – A mix of routine and new perspectives

Charlie Laband, who has successfully coached Swedish talent in various roles for a number of years, is stepping down from the men's squad and becoming head coach of the women's national team.

“I am looking forward to an interesting Olympic season together with a strong group of individuals that I have worked with for a long time” says Charlie Laband about his assignment.

Fredrik Sars, who most recently came from a job with the Spanish Ski Federation as head coach for the men, will take on the role of Team Manager for the Swedish men's national team. This is a new role that involves building the team as a group, planning training and joint trips. Sars will thus relieve the head men's coach Calle Enocsson in a number of areas to free up capacity to fully focus on further developing and honing the technical skills of the skiers.
“It is an honor to be entrusted with working with the Swedish national team. I look forward to becoming part of an already strong team and working tirelessly and disciplined to continue building something successful and long-term” says Fredrik Sars about his new assignment.

At the national team level, the coaching team will also be strengthened by David Andersson as coach of the women in training group 1, who compete in the World Cup. David most recently worked as a coach at Malung Ski Gymnasium. Axel Frost has been recruited as coach of the women's training group 2, who primarily compete in the European Cup.

Team Bauhaus and Team LKAB post-secondary activities

Fredrik Nyberg takes over as the new head coach for the post-secondary activity Team Bauhaus in collaboration with Mid Sweden University in Östersund. He forms a coaching duo with Ylva Nowén. Together, Nyberg and Nowén have solid expertise both as successful national team skiers and after that a strong commitment as coaches with various positions in alpine Sweden, mainly with a focus on young people and juniors.

Team LKAB, the post-secondary training activity at Luleå University of Technology, will also gain an expanded coaching team when Elias Grym takes over as coach together with Krister Troms Kjölmoen, who has previously been the head coach there.

A further reinforcement within the national part of the ski association's alpine branch is being made before the autumn. Kajsa Kling, a former active speed skier with podium finishes in the World Cup as her ultimate sporting achievement, will work with junior and youth issues with the focus on becoming more and better. After her active career, Kajsa has worked as a coach, competition organizer and TV commentator and most recently completed a bachelor's degree in behavioral science at Mid Sweden University.

“After a spring with some restructuring, we now have a strong leadership and coaching team to create the ability for our active people to perform and develop in the short and long term. We look forward to the upcoming season where the Olympics are the big goal” sums up Per Jonsson, who after a number of different roles in alpine skiing is now stepping into a regular role as national team manager.