March 20, 2010 (Lillehammer, NOR) – A very happy Anders Aukland (NOR) won the Worldloppet 54km classic Norwegian Birkebeiner or Birkebeinerrennet on Saturday, one of the oldest and most challenging races on the Worldloppet circuit, with a near record time of 2:27:19.0. When he turned around at the finish, he was surprised to see no one in sight. The course record holder (~2:24:30/2008), Stanislav Rezac (CZE) finished 1:09 back in 2nd place while Simen Oestensen (NOR) was third, at 2:29:00.

“It was incredibly fun. I think I went well the whole way, and had good skis. Everything fell into place 100 percent today,” said Aukland at the finish in an interview with Norwegian TV channel NRK. Fourth place finisher, Thomas Alsgaarg, was a bit annoyed at himself. “I have not trained this year, and I dared not hang on to the three best.”

Jenny Hansson (SWE) had to work a little harder for her first-ever Birkebeiner win. She couldn’t even raise her arms when she crossed the finish line, collapsing at the end. Red Cross personnel attended to her, and she was finally able to get up. “I’ve never been so tired before, but it was worth it. I have asthma and could not get in any air at all,” she told NRK.

But she was incredibly happy. She had previously won the Marcialonga and finished second three times at the Vasaloppet. Second place finisher, Karianne Bjellaanes is better known as a sprinter, and was happy to be able to hang on as long as she did, to finish just over a minute behind Hansson. Antonella Confortola (ITA) was 3^rd at 6:53 behind Bjellaanes

With files from NRK.no

Women’s unofficial results here.

Men’s unofficial results here.

Results (brief)

Women

1. Jenny Hansson (SWE) 2:57:33.0

2. Karianne Bjellaanes (NOR) 2:58:41.0

3. Antonella Confortola Wyatt (ITA) 3:05:34.0

Men

1. Anders Aukland (NOR) 2:27:19.0

2. Stanislav Rezac (CZE) 2:28:28.0

3. Simen Oestensen (NOR) 2:29:00.0

4. Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) 2:30:09.0

5. Mathias Fredriksson (SWE) 2:31:05.0