OCR champion Kajsa Askenryd takes on Tough Viking with TEGERA

From World Championship gold to Tough Viking

Kajsa Askenryd is an experienced OCR athlete who won World Championship gold earlier this year as part of a relay team at the OCR World Championships in Limerick, Ireland.

She has competed in several Tough Viking races and this was her second time racing at Djurgården. On the 15-kilometre course, she competed individually in the competitive category, finishing second in her age group and eighth overall among the women.

The result also proved important for upcoming championships. The ranking points Kajsa earned at Tough Viking helped secure her qualification for both the 2027 European and World Championships.

Kajsa Askenryd in action and with her relay team after winning gold at the 2026 OCR World Championships in Limerick, Ireland.

Grip makes the difference

OCR places particular demands on the hands. Ropes, rings and monkey bars are just some of the obstacles where a secure grip can make a real difference.

Over the years, Kajsa tried many different brands and models in search of the right OCR gloves. But since discovering TEGERA 9105, she hasn't switched.

“I've tried many different brands and models over the years, but since I found TEGERA 9105, I haven't wanted to use anything else. For me, they're superior.”

Above all, Kajsa highlights the grip, both on ropes and hanging obstacles such as monkey bars. She also appreciates the hook-and-loop wrist closure, which allows her to tighten the gloves so they stay securely in place without slipping down or bunching up.

Grip in action

Kajsa wears TEGERA 9105 while tackling an obstacle at the 2025 OCR World Championships in Gothenburg.

When Kajsa competes, she doesn't wear the gloves throughout the entire race. Between obstacles, she takes them off to keep her hands from getting too sweaty, then puts them back on while running towards the obstacles where she needs them.

An unusually wet challenge

Kajsa has competed in several Tough Viking races, but this year's event at Djurgården featured more water obstacles than she would typically encounter in an OCR race.

Swimming and other water obstacles meant that clothing and equipment quickly got wet. Kajsa therefore brought two pairs of TEGERA 9105 instead of the single pair she would normally use. During the water obstacles, she kept the gloves in a plastic bag so she could put on dry gloves before the next grip-intensive obstacle.

It was a tip she also shared with another team before the start.

Different goals over the same 15 kilometres

Also on the starting line was Erik Sandström Wallinder, Territory Sales Manager at Ejendals, together with a team of customers from Swedol in Sweden.

Kajsa Askenryd, Erik Sandström Wallinder and the Swedol customers representing Team TEGERA at Tough Viking in Stockholm.

For Team TEGERA, teamwork was at the heart of the experience. Their goal was to tackle the 15 kilometres together, help each other through the obstacles and make sure everyone reached the finish line.

They had received Kajsa's plastic-bag tip before the start, but in the middle of the race, things didn't quite go to plan. Their gloves got wet.

Even so, Erik found that TEGERA 9105 continued to provide good grip through the obstacles. And when one of the Swedol participants tackled a hanging ring obstacle without gloves, his conclusion afterwards was clear: that was exactly where he should have been wearing them.

For both the experienced OCR athlete and the team focused on completing the course together, their hands played an important part in the challenge, even though their goals for the 15 kilometres were very different.

The gloves she doesn't want to replace

For Kajsa, TEGERA 9105 isn't a glove for just one race. It's the model she has chosen to compete in since finding it after years of trying different alternatives.

Grip is the main reason. When she climbs ropes, crosses monkey bars or tackles other obstacles where she needs to rely on her hands, TEGERA 9105 is the glove she puts on.

The gloves have also attracted attention internationally. At the World Championships, Kajsa met an American competitor who had bought a pair of TEGERA 9105 at the event. She told Kajsa that she had wanted to try the gloves for a long time and asked whether they came from Sweden.

For Kajsa, the choice comes down to experience. After trying many different brands and models, she found TEGERA 9105. She hasn't wanted to switch since.