March 17, 2012 (Norway) – Over 16.000 pairs of skis were at the start in Rena this morning when the 75th edition of the Birkebeinerrennet took off into its 54km long voyage to Lillehammer. At km 27 and the second Sprint, it seemed that Hannes Dotzler (GER) and Toni Livers (SUI) would be the men today, but they were caught not much later in the following long uphill.

Within this group, the future podium of today. Up to Sjusjoen, they were four, but Anders Aukland (NOR) set an attack, got away and then put more and more distance between him and his followers: Roger Aa Djupvik (NOR), Espen Harald Bjerke (NOR) and Anders Södergren (SWE). However, it was the Swede who’s a frequent World Cup racer, who couldn’t follow the Norwegians in the end and therefore finished fourth behind Djupvik and Bjerke.

On the women’s side, it was a Norwegian, who lead quite early: Tuva Tofdahl Staver. However, in the end, she had to let four others pass and finished fifth. Then, it was the time of last year’s winner Seraina Boner (SUI). The Swiss got some advantage on the other girls and held it until the end. Behind her, Stephanie Santer (ITA), who had an excellent finish, became second and secured with this place her victory in the overall FIS Marathon Cup. Jenny Hansson (SWE), long time second, had to pass onto third place, right in front of Antonella Confortola-Wyatt (ITA).

With the Birkebeinerrennet (NOR), the FIS Marathon Cup finishes its season. Due to the cancellation of the La Sgambeda in December, the FIS Marathon Cup only had ten races instead of eleven, three of them in skating technique.

Stanislav Rezac (CZE) and Stephanie Santer (ITA) win the overall FIS Marathon Cup
Stanislav Rezac (CZE) is the winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 with 405 points in front of Anders Aukland (NOR, 311 points) and Jörgen Brink (SWE, 288 points). On the women’s side it’s Stephanie Santer (ITA), who could claim the victory in the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 with 511 points in front of todays’s winner Seraine Boner (SUI, 485 points) and Jenny Hansson (SWE, 442 points). In her first complete year in the FIS Marathon Cup, it’s a huge success for the Italian Santer to already gain the victory in the overall. „I am so happy! This is amazing!!! I really hoped to still be the leader after the race today, but it’s just wonderful that it really worked out!!! This victory is a really big motivation for next season!“ says the queen of marathon skiing 2011/12!

For the results of the elite athletes HERE.
Full results will be put online as soon as possible HERE.

Statements of the top three men and women:

Anders Aukland (NOR):
I am just so happy. It was a very tough race today with some hard pace right at the beginning. I really had some problems to follow the others in the start and I also didn’t feel perfectly well, however, that changed during the race. Since the Vasaloppet, I felt pretty tired the whole time, but luckily it was much better now. Maybe it was good that I didn’t train much but just focused on recovering. For sure, it’s different to race with this kind of backpack on your back and especially in the uphills, it’s harder if you are going fast, but at a certain point you forget about it. In the end, there was a lot of double polling today which was good for me. So I am really satisfied and happy about my race today!

Roger Aa Djupvik (NOR):
I really had a great race today! I felt strong the whole way which is when racing is just fun! We got an early gap to the the others and it stayed like that the whole way. However, Anders Aukland made an attack after Sjujoen and we three were left behind. I got a gap to Jörgen and Espen just right before the finish which was lucky! It was a dream for me to be on the podium, therefore I am really really happy that this dream came true today!!! The season hasn’t been really perfect so far, therefore it’s more than great to be on the podium in this race!

Espen Harald Bjerke (NOR):
To be on the podium in the Birkebeinerrennet this winter was the goal of the season. Therefore I am really really happy that I did it! My next goal will be to win it, so let’s see when this will be possible! However, I really had good skis today, they were only a little bit slippery in the parts where the track was really icy, but I think that everyone had the same problem. Roger and me, we didn’t plan to go together and to push hard straight away, but somehow it went that way which was good for us. We tried so safe as much energy as possible for the last part of the course. I am not a good downhill skier, so I lost a lot of speed in the last downhill parts and so, Roger and Anders could pass me. But I told myself that it was not over yet. I knew Anders does normally not have a fast finish, but nor do I. So I just went for it and gave everything and luckily it paid off! I am really happy!

Seraina Boner (SUI):
If you know how winning feels, you want to have it again, that’s for sure. However, that was one of the hardest courses ever in my life. I had cramps all over my body, but luckily there are a lot of downhills in this race in which you can recover a bit. However, in the flat parts as well as in the uphills, you always have to work. But I had perfect skis and also the backpack didn’t bother me. Nevertheless, the first five kilometres were so hard I wasn’t sure if I would make it. Therefore I am very very happy to have been able to win this fantastic race again!

Stephanie Santer (ITA):
I was a little bit under pressure as I knew that I had to get a very good place in order to be able to win the overall FIS Marathon Cup. However, I only new the first 15km. The first uphill was so long and I thought this will never end. I wasn’t sure when to attack as I didn’t really know the track, but maybe it was not that bad that I didn’t know what was still coming so I just went on and skied as best as possible. When I passed Antonella and the Norwegian and had Jenny in sight, I suddenly knew that something was possible. Therefore I just gave everything in the last part of the race and luckily it paid off. I am just so happy not only to be second in the race today but also to have won the overall FIS Marathon Cup.

Jenny Hansson (SWE):
It was a very good race for me today. I had good skis, even though I struggled sometimes in the uphills and had to work a lot with the upper body in the end. I didn’t know exactly where the other girls were but I knew that Stephanie was very strong in the flat parts. When she then passed me, I couldn’t react as I had a lot of cramps and I almost thought the race would be over for me. However, I got something to drink at the feeding station and my energy came back. So I went for it and could still finish third. Therefore I am very satisfied with this place!

Pictures from the race HERE.

More information on the Birkebeinerrennet  race HERE.