William Poromaa – On Training, the City, and Life in Sundsvall
William Poromaa – On Training, the City, and Life in Sundsvall
– Hey, how was your trip?
With a confident aura, ski star William Poromaa welcomes us outside his home in Sundsvall. After a summer filled with hard training at home, it’s clear that the 23-year-old is in great shape and ready for new challenges.
In the hallway lies the medal from the 50k race in the 2023 World Championship
A symbol of the cross-country skiing talent we are visiting. William was only 22 years old when he won it.
– You became the youngest medalist ever in a World Championship 50 km, right?
– Yes, I think so. Those who know the history say so, he says with a laugh.
Life in Sundsvall
After spending a few years in different cities, William moved “home” to Sundsvall in 2022. Here, he lives just a short drive away from his hometown of Fränsta.
– I wanted to come home. Now I live 40 minutes from where I grew up, and I have family and friends nearby. Sundsvall is a great place to train, and I think moving here has worked well.
There is no doubt we are in William’s territory. This sign greets us outside the city.
Back in Sundsvall. William proudly shows us around the “stone city” of Sundsvall and shares the city's history.
– Did you know that this city burned to the ground in the late 1800s? It was one of the biggest city fires in Swedish history, and that’s why the whole city was rebuilt in stone, he explains as we stroll through the impressive, stone-paved streets and large squares.
In this beautiful coastal city, which clearly bears the marks of its robust history, William lays the foundation for what will be an exciting World Championship season in Trondheim. He is in a good place in life, both physically and mentally. Focus and performance are at the center as he prepares to take further steps in his skiing career.
Best at home
– It seems like you’ve found peace here and can now focus solely on becoming a better skier?
– Absolutely. I have everything I need here at home. I’m in such a good place that it might be tough to leave when the season starts, he says jokingly, but with a hint of seriousness in his voice.
William has spent most of the summer at home, but busier times await soon. First, there will be two periods at a high-altitude training camp in Italy, and then the season will kick off in full swing from November. Then it’s full focus on a new World Championship.
This is not just a city tour. We end the evening early to allow William to prepare for tomorrow’s long training session.
The next morning, just after nine o’clock, we meet William again outside his home, this time ready for training.
– It can be windy here by the sea, but this looks like a perfect day, he says.
Dressed in Swix RaceX and short tights, he is prepared for an intense session: two hours of roller skiing and two hours of trail running. He straps on his Triac poles and skis out of the city.
William takes one of his regular routes in the local area.
There is still a long way to go until the season, but I feel motivated and train well. It feels good to be a skier right now.
William Poromaa
William Poromaa ends the session with a view over Sundsvall. Here he changes into running clothes and prepares for the second part of today’s workout: two hours of running in the forest.
Two hours after he disappeared into the woods, William returns to the car, and his workday is over. One of many that will take him to new heights this season.
– There is still a long way to go until the season, but I feel motivated and train well. It feels good to be a skier right now, concludes William Poromaa.
At this moment, there are about six months left until the World Championship in Trondheim. A championship that Poromaa thinks about every day.
If I succeed in Norway, well, then I’ll be satisfied. That’s what I’m aiming for.
William Poromaa is looking forward to the 2025 World Championship. The championship starts on February 26.