On my own two feet in my father's footsteps

At just 16 years old, Nanna Møller has already made a choice that many adults hesitate to make: to leave the safety of Nuuk to pursue her dream. Since August, she has lived in Norway, where she has entered one of the country's most prestigious ski schools - a place where only the most dedicated and talented young athletes are admitted.

From Nuuk to Norway

From Nuuk to Norway

– I was absolutely sure that it would be really hard to move and that I would miss home all the time. But it actually hasn't been like that at all. It's almost only my parents who call – I just feel really good here, says Nanna and laughs.

The ski high school in Geilo is far from an ordinary youth education. Here, many days of training start long before the school bell rings. For Nanna, this means that she is allowed to fully pursue her passion while also attending to her schoolwork. A typical week includes up to 16 hours of training and competitions.

– As long as I have skis under my feet, I can hardly be in a bad mood. That's where I feel most at home, she says.

The community at the school means a lot. Where there was no one in Nuuk who trained as much as she did, she is now surrounded by young people who share the same ambitions.

– Everyone here is just as obsessed with skiing as I am. People understand me, and we speak the same language - just with skis on our feet, says Nanna.

Although she is still only 16 years old, Nanna often competes against runners who are up to 19. That doesn't scare her – quite the opposite.

Skiing since childhood

That Nanna ended up skiing is far from a coincidence. She grew up in a home where sport played a big role. Her father, Martin Møller, is a former skier and today the national cross-country ski coach. Throughout her upbringing, he has been both a coach, mentor and father.

– I am really grateful to my father. Without him, I honestly don't think I would be standing here today. He hasn't just taught me the technical stuff – he's also taught me how to handle both success and failure, explains Nanna.

For Nanna, it has never felt like pressure to have a father with such great insight into the sport.

– Some people think it must be pressure because it's my father. But I know he's proud of me no matter what. For me it doesn't feel like pressure – it feels like support, she explains.

Two years ago, she made the decision seriously: biathlon had to be more than a hobby. 

– I just knew that biathlon was what I wanted. And then things went well – competitions in Norway, lots of training and a goal of getting into ski school, says Nanna.

Admission to the school was far from a given.

– I almost couldn't believe it when I got the message. I just started crying – I was so happy, laughs Nanna.

The school is an NTG – Norwegian Toppidrettsgymnasium – where young talents get the opportunity to combine elite sports with a high school education. Nanna has now been there for five months and has already made significant progress. She was at home in Nuuk over Christmas, and the stay gave a clear picture of the development.

– It was really strange to come home again. But also a bit funny, because I could clearly feel how much I had moved in a short time, she says and laughs.

Greenland on the chest

The development has also led to a major sporting milestone. Nanna has qualified for the Junior World Championships in Biathlon in Germany, which will be held at the end of February.

– The Junior World Championships will be huge, but in a strange way I'm almost more looking forward to the Norwegian Cup. At the World Championships I'll be facing 19-year-olds, while in the Norwegian Cup I actually have a real chance of the podium – and that would be absolutely crazy, she says and smiles.

The Norwegian Cup spans several competitions until April and is an important platform for young runners in Norway. Here, Nanna is competing for her school, while at the Junior World Championships she is representing Greenland – something that is of great importance to her.

– It means a lot to me to be able to represent Greenland. There is something very special about competing under your own flag – it gives extra motivation, says the young biathlete.

Greenlandic roots also play a role in everyday life in Norway.

– My Greenlandic roots really mean a lot to me. If people saw me as a Dane up here, it wouldn't feel right – because I'm not, she explains in more detail.

The perfect place

Everyday life at the ski gymnasium is demanding, but Nanna enjoys life. And even though she is on her own far from home, support from home is still crucial.

– If I didn't have my dad to talk to about training and everything, I would probably feel quite alone. He is both my father and my former coach – and that combination means everything to me, Nanna insists.

Everything indicates that Nanna Møller has landed in the right place. Far from Nuuk, but close to her passion. On her own two feet – and still following in her father's footsteps. A young, Greenlandic biathlete with her eyes firmly fixed on the future.