Birkebeinerrennet
| Birkebeinerrennet | |
|---|---|
 Birkebeinerrennet 2010 | |
| Status | active |
| Genre | sporting event |
| Date(s) | March |
| Frequency | annual |
| Country | Norway |
| Inaugurated |
1932 (men) 1976 (women) |
Birkebeinerrennet (lit. The Birkebeiner race) is a long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It debuted in 1932 and has been a part of Worldloppet as long as Worldloppet has been around.[1]
The Birkebeinerrennet is one of three races held under the Birkebeiner moniker, the other two being Birkebeinerrittet (bicycling) and Birkebeinerløpet (cross-country running).
Researchers at the Manchester Metropolitan University found that the metabolic cost for modern ski models is about 2.5 J/kg*m as compared to about 5 J/kg*m for ski models dated 542 AD. They also estimated maximum cross country speed for the 542 AD ski to 5 m/s, compared to about 12 m/s for modern cross country skis; for long distance skiing (several hours) results were 3 and 7 m/s respectively. This corresponds to about 5 hours for the original 1206 AD Birkebeiner flight.[2]
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.[3]
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 .
The race has also been cancelled in 2014 15 minutes before the start also due to "high" winds of 15 m/s . But despite of the cancellation, thousands of skiers completed the route from Rena to Lillehammer (and from Lillehammer to Rena) and blasted the decision . Also the organizers decided not to give any refund, so the Norwegian Skiing Federation started an investigation for this case.
Past winners
Course record in bold.
Men
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Trygve Beisvåg |  Norway |
4.51.04 |
| 1933 | Arne Rustadstuen | Norway |
4.24.12 |
| 1934 | Arne Rustadstuen (2) | 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 (2) | Norway |
3.56.34 |
| 1939 | Hallvard Eggset | Norway |
4.09.05 |
| 1940 | Gunnar Hansveen (2) | 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 (2) | 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 (2) | Norway |
3.48.46 |
| 1958 | Oddmund Jensen (3) | Norway |
3.39.34 |
| 1959 | Einar Skaaren (2) | Norway |
4.01.33 |
| 1960 | Martin Stokken | Norway |
3.34.19 |
| 1961 | Ole Ellefsæter | Norway |
3.44.02 |
| 1962 | Oddmund Jensen (4) | Norway |
3.43.15 |
| 1963 | Magnar Ingebrigtsli | Norway |
4.04.59 |
| 1964 | Egil Tvedt | Norway |
3.23.31 |
| 1965 | Oddmund Jensen (5) | Norway |
3.41.48 |
| 1966 | Egil Tvedt (2) | 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 (2) | 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 (2) | Norway |
3.05.39 |
| 1978 | Anders Bakken | Norway |
3.14.04 |
| 1979 | Anders Bakken (2) | Norway |
3.14.35 |
| 1980 | Dag Atle Bjørkheim | Norway |
3.16.05 |
| 1981 | Sven-Åke Lundbäck |  Sweden |
3.16.25 |
| 1982 | Dag Atle Bjørkheim (2) | 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 (2) | Norway |
3.03.44 |
| 1991 | Per Knut Aaland (3) | 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 (2) | Norway |
2.57.18 |
| 1996 | Erling Jevne (2) | Norway |
2.39.12 |
| 1997 | Erling Jevne (3) | Norway |
2.33.05 |
| 1998 | Erling Jevne (4) | Norway |
2.43.19 |
| 1999 | Erling Jevne (5) | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.50.45 |
| 2000 | Erling Jevne (6) | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.41.53 |
| 2001 | Erling Jevne (7) | Øyer-Tretten IF, Norway |
2.38.45 |
| 2002 | Stanislav Řezáč |  Czech Republic |
2.39.08 |
| 2003 | Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (3) | Fjellhug/Vereide IL, Norway |
2.39.56 |
| 2004 | Gianantonio Zanetel |  Italy |
2.48.55 |
| 2005 | Stanislav Řezáč (2) | Czech Republic |
2.37.37 |
| 2006 | Anders Aukland | Oseberg SL, Norway |
2.52.13 |
| 2007 | Cancelled | – | |
| 2008 | Stanislav Řezáč (3) | Czech Republic |
2.24.33 |
| 2009 | Jerry Ahrlin | Sweden |
2.36.58 |
| 2010 | Anders Aukland (2) | Oseberg SL, Norway |
2.27.19 |
| 2011 | Stanislav Řezáč (4) | Czech Republic |
2.39.54 |
| 2012 | Anders Aukland (3) | Norway |
2.21.34 |
| 2013 | Anders Aukland (4) | Norway |
2.42.38 |
| 2014 | Cancelled | – | |
| 2015 | Petter Eliassen | Team LeasePlan Go, Norway |
2.19.28 |
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 (2) | Norway |
3.47.15 |
| 1981 | Vigdis Rønning | Norway |
3.43.19 |
| 1982 | Birgit Øverby Tennøe (2) | Norway |
3.40.55 |
| 1983 | Hilde Riis | Norway |
3.26.47 |
| 1984 | Gry Oftedal | Norway |
3.27.00 |
| 1985 | Gry Oftedal (2) | 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 Mikkelsplass | Norway |
3.05.12 |
| 1997 | Marthe Flugstad (2) | Norway |
3.10.46 |
| 1998 | Anita Moen Guidon | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.03.21 |
| 1999 | Anita Moen Guidon (2) | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.21.22 |
| 2000 | Anita Moen Guidon (3) | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.06.24 |
| 2001 | Anita Moen Guidon (4) | Trysilfjellet SK, Norway |
3.03.27 |
| 2002 | Marthe Flugstad (3) | Gjøvik SK, Norway |
3.08.27 |
| 2003 | Annmari Viljanmaa |  Finland |
3.05.16 |
| 2004 | Annmari Viljanmaa (2) | Finland |
3.03.47 |
| 2005 | Cristina Paluselli | Italy |
3.10.59 |
| 2006 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen | Nybygda IL, Norway |
3.08.10 |
| 2007 | Cancelled | – | |
| 2008 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen (2) | Nybygda IL, Norway |
2.52.04 |
| 2009 | Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen (3) | Nybygda IL, Norway |
3.05.00 |
| 2010 | Jenny Hansson | Sweden |
2.57.33 |
| 2011 | Seraina Boner |  Switzerland |
3.11.17 |
| 2012 | Seraina Boner (2) | Switzerland |
2.47.03 |
| 2013 | Seraina Boner (3) | Switzerland |
3.09.12 |
| 2014 | Cancelled | – | |
| 2015 | Therese Johaug | Norway |
2.41.46 |
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[4] and 2:43:39.1,[5] 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.
References
- ↑ "Birkebeinerrennet". Worldloppet. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ↑ Formenti, Federico et al. (2005): Human locomotion on snow: Determinants of economy and speed of skiing across the ages, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, vol. 272 no. 1572, 1561-1569 .
- ↑ http://www.fiscrosscountry.com/news/birkebeinerrennet-sold-out-18-minutes,1498.html
- ↑ FIS-Ski Results Lillehammer 2002, Men
- ↑ FIS-Ski Results Lillehammer 2002, Woman
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
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