Birkebeinerrennet
Birkebeinerrennet (lit. The Birkebeiner race) is a long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It is Norway's race in the Worldloppet Ski Federation.
The Birkebeinerrennet is one of three races held under the Birkebeiner moniker, the other two being Birkebeinerrittet (bicycling) and Birkebeinerløpet (cross-country running).
Race
The race starts at Rena and ends at Lillehammer, a distance of 54 km. The number of participants has been steadily increasing each year, and for the 2011 race, the limit was set at 16,000.[1]
History
The Birkebeinerrennet run has been held since 1932, and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the infant pretender to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then-one-year-old king.
In 2007, the race was cancelled due to extremely high winds (90 km/h or 55 mph). However, at the time of cancellation, the event had been under way for nearly an hour, with roughly a quarter of the 13,000 competitors already on course. Despite the efforts of officials to send everyone back to the start, 55 hard-nosed Norwegians eventually reached the finish in Lillehammer, and upon being interviewed, blasted the decision to cancel the event .
Past winners
Men
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Trygve Beisvåg |  Norway |
4.51.04 |
| 1933 | Arne Rustadstuen | Norway |
4.24.12 |
| 1934 | Arne Rustadstuen | Norway |
5.41.25 |
| 1935 | Olaf Hoffsbakken | Norway |
4.10.35 |
| 1936 | Oscar Gjøslien | Norway |
5.16.05 |
| 1937 | Gunnar Hansveen | Norway |
4.44.45 |
| 1938 | Olaf Hoffsbakken | Norway |
3.56.34 |
| 1939 | Hallvard Eggset | Norway |
4.09.05 |
| 1940 | Gunnar Hansveen | Norway |
4.30.09 |
| 1946 | Leif Haugen | Norway |
3.54.59 |
| 1947 | Gunnar Hermansen | Norway |
4.38.24 |
| 1949 | Olav Kveberg | Norway |
4.13.55 |
| 1950 | Gunnar Hermansen | Norway |
4.28.15 |
| 1951 | Thorfinn Staff Eid | Norway |
4.12.01 |
| 1952 | Odd Nyborg | Norway |
4.17.50 |
| 1953 | Johs. Woxen | Norway |
4.20.25 |
| 1954 | Johan Østvang | Norway |
4.30.18 |
| 1955 | Oddmund Jensen | Norway |
3.57.31 |
| 1956 | Einar Skaaren | Norway |
4.03.33 |
| 1957 | Oddmund Jensen | Norway |
3.48.46 |
| 1958 | Oddmund Jensen | Norway |
3.39.34 |
| 1959 | Einar Skaaren | Norway |
4.01.33 |
| 1960 | Martin Stokken | Norway |
3.34.19 |
| 1961 | Ole Ellefsæter | Norway |
3.44.02 |
| 1962 | Oddmund Jensen | Norway |
3.43.15 |
| 1963 | Magnar Ingebrigtsli | Norway |
4.04.59 |
| 1964 | Egil Tvedt | Norway |
3.23.31 |
| 1965 | Oddmund Jensen | Norway |
3.41.48 |
| 1966 | Egil Tvedt | Norway |
3.36.34 |
| 1967 | Ivar Skogsrud | Norway |
4.00.39 |
| 1968 | Erik Solberg Johansen | Norway |
4.16.50 |
| 1969 | Niri Helleberg | Norway |
3.20.51 |
| 1970 | Arne Vehus | Norway |
3.21.40 |
| 1971 | Bjørn Arvnes | Norway |
3.40.30 |
| 1972 | Erik Solberg Johansen | Norway |
3.24.19 |
| 1973 | Per Knotten | Norway |
3.06.07 |
| 1974 | Dag Anmarkrud | Norway |
3.22.42 |
| 1975 | Ivar Formo | Norway |
3.25.35 |
| 1976 | Audun Kolstad | Norway |
3.12.10 |
| 1977 | Audun Kolstad | Norway |
3.05.39 |
| 1978 | Anders Bakken | Norway |
3.14.04 |
| 1979 | Anders Bakken | Norway |
3.14.35 |
| 1980 | Dag Atle Bjørkheim | Norway |
3.16.05 |
| 1981 | Sven-Åke Lundbäck |  Sweden |
3.16.25 |
| 1982 | Dag Atle Bjørkheim | Norway |
3.02.43 |
| 1983 | Per Knut Aaland | Norway |
2.51.25 |
| 1984 | Magnar Rismyhr | Norway |
2.59.28 |
| 1985 | Ola Hassis | Sweden |
2.53.11 |
| 1986 | Örjan Blomquist | Sweden |
3.08.30 |
| 1987 | Pierre Harvey |  Canada |
3.08.30 |
| 1988 | Jo Helgestad | Norway |
3.08.08 |
| 1989 | John Kvale | Norway |
2.58.56 |
| 1990 | Per Knut Aaland | Norway |
3.03.44 |
| 1991 | Per Knut Aaland | Norway |
3.05.07 |
| 1992 | Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset | Norway |
3.15.34 |
| 1993 | Aleksandr Golubev |  Russia |
2.45.42 |
| 1994 | Erling Jevne | Norway |
2.36.10 |
| 1995 | Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset | Norway |
2.57.18 |
| 1996 | Erling Jevne | Norway |
2.39.12 |
| 1997 | Erling Jevne | Norway |
2.33.05 |
| 1998 | Erling Jevne | Norway |
2.43.19 |
| 1999 | Erling Jevne | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.50.45 |
| 2000 | Erling Jevne | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.41.53 |
| 2001 | Erling Jevne | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.38.45 |
| 2002 | Stanislav Řezáč |  Czech Republic |
2.39.08 |
| 2003 | Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset | Fjellhug/Vereide IL, Norway |
2.39.56 |
| 2004 | Gianantonio Zanetel |  Italy |
2.48.55 |
| 2005 | Stanislav Řezáč | Czech Republic |
2.37.37 |
| 2006 | Anders Aukland | Oseberg SL, Norway |
2.52.13 |
| 2008 | Stanislav Řezáč | Czech Republic |
2.24.33 |
| 2009 | Jerry Ahrlin | Sweden |
2.36.58 |
| 2010 | Anders Aukland | Oseberg SL, Norway |
2.27.19 |
| 2011 | Stanislav Řezáč | Czech Republic |
2.39.54 |
| 2012 | Anders Aukland | Norway |
2.21.34 |
| 2013 | Anders Aukland | Norway |
2.42.38 |
Women
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Berit Mørdre Lammedal | Norway |
3.54.44 |
| 1977 | Valborg Østberg | Norway |
3.31.04 |
| 1978 | Birgit Øverby Tennøe | Norway |
3.49.01 |
| 1979 | Anna Bjørgan | Norway |
4.07.48 |
| 1980 | Anna Bjørgan | Norway |
3.47.15 |
| 1981 | Vigdis Rønning | Norway |
3.43.19 |
| 1982 | Birgit Øverby Tennøe | Norway |
3.40.55 |
| 1983 | Hilde Riis | Norway |
3.26.47 |
| 1984 | Gry Oftedal | Norway |
3.27.00 |
| 1985 | Gry Oftedal | Norway |
3.25.45 |
| 1986 | Ellen Grepperud | Norway |
3.52.45 |
| 1987 | Astrid Dæhlie | Norway |
3.47.32 |
| 1988 | Elisabeth Tharaldsen | Norway |
3.50.13 |
| 1989 | Marthe Flugstad | Norway |
3.13.35 |
| 1990 | Mona Fugli | Norway |
3.51.50 |
| 1991 | Ragnhild Bratberg | Norway |
3.38.54 |
| 1992 | Anne Jahren | Norway |
3.52.00 |
| 1993 | Astrid Kristin Ruud | NTHI, Norway |
3.24.25 |
| 1994 | Marit Elveos | Norway |
3.21.12 |
| 1995 | Unni Ødegård | Norway |
3.28.15 |
| 1996 | Marit Mikkelplass | Norway |
3.05.12 |
| 1997 | Marthe Flugstad | Norway |
3.10.46 |
| 1998 | Anita Moen Guidon | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.03.21 |
| 1999 | Anita Moen Guidon | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.21.22 |
| 2000 | Anita Moen Guidon | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.06.24 |
| 2001 | Anita Moen Guidon | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.03.27 |
| 2002 | Marthe Flugstad | Gjøvik SK, Norway |
3.08.27 |
| 2003 | Annmari Viljanmaa |  Finland |
3.05.16 |
| 2004 | Annmari Viljanmaa | Finland |
3.03.47 |
| 2005 | Cristina Paluselli | Italy |
3.10.59 |
| 2006 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen | Nybygda IL, Norway |
3.08.10 |
| 2008 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen | Nybygda IL, Norway |
2.52.04 |
| 2009 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen | Nybygda IL, Norway |
3.05.00 |
| 2010 | Jenny Hansson | Sweden |
2.57.33 |
| 2011 | Seraina Boner |  Switzerland |
3.11.17 |
| 2012 | Seraina Boner | Switzerland |
2.47.03 |
| 2013 | Seraina Boner | Switzerland |
3.09.12 |
Special 2002 FIS World-Cup Race
In 2002, the race was included as the last event in the FIS world-cup. The world-cup class was won by Thomas Alsgaard and Anita Moen Guidon finishing in 2:24:08.7[2] and 2:43:39.1,[3] respectively, faster than both Rezac's and Hilde GP's records as of 2008. The participants in the world-cup class were, however, not required to carry the 3.5 kg backpack.
External links
Media related to Birkebeinerrennet at Wikimedia Commons
- KMZ file tracing out the route of the race Requires Google Earth software.
- 2D View in Google Maps.
- Official homepage (in Norwegian)
- English version of the official homepage
- German version of the official homepage
References
- ↑ http://www.fiscrosscountry.com/news/birkebeinerrennet-sold-out-18-minutes,1498.html
- ↑ FIS-Ski Results Lillehammer 2002, Men
- ↑ FIS-Ski Results Lillehammer 2002, Woman
| ||||||||||||||