March 11, 2014 – Star Norwegian cross-country skier, Petter Northug, has decided to end his season early and will not be going to the FIS XC World Cup finals in Falun, Sweden from Mar. 14-16 reports Norway’s NRK. The decision was arrived at this morning between Northug and his coach, Eirik Myhr Nossum reconciling that the superstar is not in good enough shape for the event.

“The reason is that he has not felt the sting enough in the past to implement the training that is needed to get well enough prepared to go to Falun. Then you might as well stay home and watch it on TV,” explained Nossum. “If you go to race against the world you must be a hundred percent.”

Thus concludes Northug’s weakest season ever, including a disappointing lack of medals in Sochi. His best showing this season was a stage World Cup win in the 10km CL at Val di Fiemme during the Tour de Ski where he finish fourth overall – the best he’s been able to muster at the fabled Tour. This will likely be adjusted to bronze following Austrian Johannes Dürr’s  admission of extensive EPO use – read more here <http://skitrax.com/71788/>http://skitrax.com/71788/

Northug distinguished himself with nine gold medals at the FIS  Nordic World Ski Championships tying the record of Norwegian legend, Bjørn Dæhlie, the most successful world champion male skier at the time. Northug has also won two Olympic golds (50km classic, freestyle team sprint) a silver and a bronze at the Games.

<http://www.nrk.no/sport/sesongen-over-for-northug-1.11597172>NRK (in Norwegian) here. www.nrk.no/sport/sesongen-over-for-northug-1.11597172

Wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petter_Northug