The Holmenkollen 50 km is an annual cross-country skiing race held at Holmenkollen National Arena in Oslo, Norway. The competition is part of the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. Previous to 2023 The 50 km distance is raced by men only as the women's equivalent is a 30 km race. Starting in 2023 both men and women will race 50k.

Holmenkollen 50 km
Frequencyannually
VenueHolmenkollen National Arena
Location(s)Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway
Inaugurated1898
ActivityCross-country skiing
Organised byHolmenkollen Ski Festival
Lauritz Bergendahl won the 50 km five times (1910, 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915).
Photo: Gabrielsen, ca. 1910 (Oslo Museum / Digitalt Museum)
Oscar Gjøslien photographed during his 50 km winning race in the 1935 edition.
Photo: S. Gran (Oslo Museum / Digitalt Museum)

History

edit

The first 50 km race in Oslo was planned to be part of Husebyrennet i 1887, but was first held in 1888. Torjus Hemmestveit won the inaugural 50 km race. 17 skiers started the race, 12 finished. The course consisted of two laps of 25 km and started at the velodrome at Majorstuen.

The next long-distance race, a 30 km, was planned to be part of Holmenkollrennene in 1898, but was cancelled due to lack of snow. 30 km races were held in 1900 and 1901, and the winners of these races are widely recognised as Holmenkollen 50 km winners. Also the winner of the 1907 edition is recognised as a winner, even though the course length was only 40 km. The first Holmenkollen 50 km race was held in 1902. The course consisted of two laps of 25 kilometres, both started and finished at Frognerseteren. For safety reasons, all skiers had to stop for a five-minute rest. These required pauses was only mandatory in the 1902 edition.

In 1905, the 50 km race was again cancelled due to lack of snow. Holmenkollrennene (later known as Holmenkollen Ski Festival) were in 1909 a part of a common arrangement with the first Norwegian Championships in cross-country skiing, and since a 30 km race was held at Lillehammer in these championships, the 50 km race in Holmenkollen was not held. The first foreign competitors at the Holmenkollen 50 km were a number of Swedes participating in 1903. The first non-Norwegian to win the race was Finnish skier Anton Collin in 1922. Tapani Niku, also from Finland, finished in second place.

In 1925 was the 50 km cancelled due to lack of snow in the days before Holmenkollrennene. Holmenkollrennene was threatened by lack of snow also in 1932, but was held two weeks after schedule. Holmenkollrennene, including the 50 km were not held during the Second World War.

Oslo arranged the World Championships in 1930, 1966, 1982 and 2011. In all the World Championships held in Oslo, the Holmenkollen 50 km was arranged as a part of the World Championships. In 1952, a separate 50 km race was held two weeks after the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. The individual races in the 1982 World Championships were a part of the 1981–82 Cross-Country World Cup, the first official World Cup season, and the Holmenkollen 50 km race has since been a part of the World Cup, with the exception in 1985 when the 50 km did not have World Cup status. The cross-country skiing events at the 2011 World Championships were not part of the World Cup, unlike the 1982 World Championships.

In the 1985–86 season, cross-country skiing started to distinguish techniques and arrange separate races in classic style and freestyle (skating). The 50 km in Holmenkollen has since been arranged in both techniques. Lack of snow hindered the Holmenkollrennene again in 1990 and 1992, which caused the 50 km to be moved to Vang. Lillehammer hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics, and no 50 km race was held in Holmenkollen that year. The Holmenkollen National Arena was reconstructed in 2009 to prepare for the 2011 World Championships and the 50 km was therefore replaced by a World Cup race in Trondheim. Since 2010, the Holmenkollen 50 km has been competed with a mass start.

There was no race in 2021. It resumed the next year.

Records

edit

Lauritz Bergendahl has the three biggest winning margins in the Holmenkollen 50 km. In 1914, he won by 22 minutes 39 seconds down to Elling Rønes. The following year, Bergendahl skied 21 minutes 36 seconds faster than second-placed Embret Mellesmo. He won by 17 minutes and 15 seconds down to Truls Braathen in 1912. The smallest winning margin from races held with individual start are the two seconds between winner Veikko Hakulinen and Pavel Kolchin in 1955. In mass starts, where the winning margins often are small, the smallest winning margin is a photo finish in 2015 where Sjur Røthe won ahead of Dario Cologna even though they finished in the same time.[1]

The longest winning time for 50 km in Holmenkollen is 5 hours 33 minutes 37 seconds, when Elling Rønes won in 1906. The shortest winning time is Sjur Røthe's time in 2015: 1:54.44,9.

Alexander Bolshunov is the youngest winner of the race, aged 22 years and 68 days when winning the 2019 edition.[citation needed]

Thorleif Haug has the most victories with six; in 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923 and 1924. Lauritz Bergendahl won five times; in 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915. Elling Rønes won four times; 1906, 1907, 1908 and 1916. After the Second World War, five skiers have won three times each: Veikko Hakulinen won in 1952 (Olympic Games), 1953 and 1955, Sverre Stensheim won in 1959, 1960 and 1961, Oddvar Brå won in 1975, 1979 and 1981, Thomas Wassberg won in 1980, 1982 and 1987, and Vegard Ulvang won in 1989, 1991 and 1992.

Multiple winners

edit
 
Thorleif Haug won the 50 km a record six times (1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923 og 1924).
 
Veikko Hakulinen is the first non-Norwegian to win the 50 km three times.

The following skiers have won the Holmenkollen 50 km at least twice.

Multiple winners of the Holmenkollen 50 km
Skier Total Editions
  Thorleif Haug (NOR) 6 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924
  Lauritz Bergendahl (NOR) 5 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915
  Elling Rønes (NOR) 4 1906, 1907, 1908, 1916
  Oddvar Brå (NOR) 3 1975, 1979, 1981
  Veikko Hakulinen (FIN) 3 1952, 1953, 1955
  Sverre Stensheim (NOR) 3 1959, 1960, 1961
  Vegard Ulvang (NOR) 3 1989, 1991, 1992
  Thomas Wassberg (SWE) 3 1980, 1982, 1987
  Alexander Bolshunov (RUS) 2 2019, 2020
  Paul Braaten (NOR) 2 1900, 1901
  Gerhard Grimmer (GDR) 2 1970, 1971
  Karl Hovelsen (NOR) 2 1902, 1903
  Nils Karlsson (SWE) 2 1947, 1951
  Petter Northug (NOR) 2 2010, 2011
  Alexey Prokurorov (RUS) 2 1993, 1998
  Assar Rönnlund (SWE) 2 1962, 1968
  Anders Södergren (SWE) 2 2006, 2008
  Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR) 2 2016, 2017
  Gunde Svan (SWE) 2 1986, 1990
  Arto Tiainen (FIN) 2 1964, 1965
  Pål Tyldum (NOR) 2 1969, 1972
  Sven Utterström (SWE) 2 1929, 1930
  Andrus Veerpalu (EST) 2 2003, 2005

Results

edit

The distance is 50 km unless otherwise noted. The 1888 50 km race was a part of Husebyrennet, but is included in this list for completeness reasons.

Date Course / technique Winner Second Third Type
7 February 1888   Torjus Hemmestveit   Peder Eliassen   Nils Kamphaug Husebyrennet
1898 30 km Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
7 February 1900 30 km   Paul Braaten   Gustav Bye   Johs. Bentzen Holmenkollrennene
6 February 1901 30 km   Paul Braaten   Halvard Hansen   Thorvald Moestue Holmenkollrennene
5 February 1902   Karl Hovelsen   Paul Braaten   Halvard Hansen Holmenkollrennene
4 February 1903 55 km[2]   Karl Hovelsen   Per Andreassen   Karl Sonerud Holmenkollrennene, the Nordic Games
10 February 1904   Per Bakken   Per Andreassen   Otto Rønningen Holmenkollrennene
1905 Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
8 March 1906   Elling Rønes   Helenus Bakken   Per Bakken Holmenkollrennene
28 February 1907 40 km   Elling Rønes   Jens Skjærbæk   Andreas Udbye Holmenkollrennene
20. February 1908 47.8 km   Elling Rønes   Olav Bjaaland   Jens Skjærbæk Holmenkollrennene
1909 Not held Holmenkollrennene
17 February 1910   Lauritz Bergendahl   Truls Braathen   Arne Hallén Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1911   Truls Braathen   Embret Mellesmo   Elling Rønes Holmenkollrennene
29 February 1912   Lauritz Bergendahl   Truls Braathen   Andreas Vesterhaug Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1913   Lauritz Bergendahl   Johan Kristoffersen   Embret Mellesmo Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1914   Lauritz Bergendahl   Elling Rønes   Anders Brännkärr Holmenkollrennene
25 February 1915   Lauritz Bergendahl   Embret Mellesmo   Anders Brännkärr Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1916   Elling Rønes   Ingvar Langlien   Johan Skjærbæk Holmenkollrennene
22 February 1917   Ingvar Langlien   Elling Rønes   Amund Vanvik Holmenkollrennene
21 February 1918   Thorleif Haug   G. Johanson   Henning Isaksson Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1919   Thorleif Haug   Ingvar Langlien   Henning Isaksson Holmenkollrennene
19 February 1920   Thorleif Haug   Johan Grøttumsbråten   Torkel Persson Holmenkollrennene
17 February 1921   Thorleif Haug   Thoralf Strømstad   Johan Grøttumsbråten Holmenkollrennene
23 February 1922   Anton Collin   Tapani Niku   Hagbart Haakonsen Holmenkollrennene
22 February 1923   Thorleif Haug   Harald Økern   Thoralf Strømstad Holmenkollrennene
21 February 1924   Thorleif Haug   Ole Hegge   Jon Mårdalen Holmenkollrennene
1925 Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1926   Olav Kjelbotn   Ole Hegge   Ole Stenen Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1927   Henry Gjøslien   Ole Hegge   Lars Lørdahl Holmenkollrennene
29 February 1928   Martti Lappalainen   Kristian Hovde   Hagbart Haakonsen Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1929   Sven Utterström   Arne Rustadstuen   Per-Erik Hedlund Holmenkollrennene
3 March 1930   Sven Utterström   Arne Rustadstuen   Adiel Paananen 1930 World Championships
25 February 1931   Ole Stenen   Kolbjørn Sevre   Oscar Aas Haugen Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1932   Gjermund Muruåsen   Olav Lian   Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
1 March 1933   Sigurd Vestad   Annar Ryen   Konrad Nordfjellmark Holmenkollrennene
5 March 1934   Kalle Heikkinen   Lars Bergendahl   Trygve Brodahl Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1935   Oscar Gjøslien   John Johnsen   Per Samuelshaug Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1936   Per Sætermyrmoen   Andreas Hverven   Valmari Toikka[3] Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1937   Per Samuelshaug   Nils Englund   Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
7 March 1938   Pekka Niemi   Pekka Vanninen   Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
6 March 1939   Sven Edin   Lars Bergendahl   Mauritz Brännström Holmenkollrennene
28 February 1940   Lars Bergendahl   Annar Ryen   Arthur Häggblad Holmenkollrennene
1941–1945 Not held due to World War II Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1946   Arve Ulseth   Thorleif Vangen   Leif Haugen Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1947   Nils Karlsson   Arthur Herrdin   Martin Jære Holmenkollrennene
3 March 1948   Harald Eriksson   Hallvard Eggset   Lennart Berg Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1949   Nils Östensson   Sigvard Jonsson   Harald Maartmann Holmenkollrennene
1 March 1950   Anders Törnqvist   Harald Maartmann   Gunnar Karlsson Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1951   Nils Karlsson   Eero Kolehmainen   Magnar Estenstad Holmenkollrennene
20 February 1952   Veikko Hakulinen   Eero Kolehmainen   Magnar Estenstad 1952 Winter Olympics
8 March 1952   Magnar Estenstad   Edvin Landsem   Harald Maartmann Holmenkollrennet
28 February 1953   Veikko Hakulinen   Martti Lautala   Arvo Viitanen Holmenkollrennet
6 March 1954   Martin Stokken   Sixten Jernberg   Eero Kolehmainen Holmenkollrennet
5 March 1955   Veikko Hakulinen   Pavel Kolchin   Viktor Baranov Holmenkollrennet
25 February 1956   Arvo Viitanen   Hallgeir Brenden   Erling Bjørn Holmenkollrennet
2 March 1957   Eero Kolehmainen   Veikko Hakulinen   Martin Stokken Holmenkollrennet
15 March 1958   Pavel Kolchin   Eljas Koistinen   Hallgeir Brenden Holmenkollrennet
7 March 1959   Sverre Stensheim   Eero Kolehmainen   Veikko Räsänen Holmenkollrennet
19 March 1960   Sverre Stensheim   Oddmund Jensen   Ingmund Holtås Holmenkollrennet
11 March 1961   Sverre Stensheim   Hallgeir Brenden   Sture Grahn Holmenkollrennet
17 March 1962   Assar Rönnlund   Reidar Hjermstad   Raimo Hämälainen Holmenkollrennet
16 March 1963   Ragnar Persson   Einar Østby   Ole Ellefsæter Holmenkollrennet
14 March 1964   Arto Tiainen   Sixten Jernberg   Gjermund Eggen Holmenkollrennet
13 March 1965   Arto Tiainen   Ole Ellefsæter   Raimo Hämälainen Holmenkollrennet
26 February 1966   Gjermund Eggen   Arto Tiainen   Eero Mäntyranta 1966 World Championships
4 March 1967   Ole Ellefsæter   Arto Tiainen   Odd Martinsen Holmenkollrennene
16 March 1968   Assar Rönnlund   Pål Tyldum   Gjermund Eggen Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1969   Pål Tyldum   Johs. Harviken   Magne Myrmo Holmenkollrennene
14 March 1970   Gerhard Grimmer   Pål Tyldum   Hannu Taipale Holmenkollrennene
13 March 1971   Gerhard Grimmer   Lars-Arne Bölling   Lennart Pettersson Holmenkollrennene
11 March 1972   Pål Tyldum   Lars-Arne Bölling   Ole Ellefsæter Holmenkollrennene
17 March 1973   Juha Mieto   Oddvar Brå   Pål Tyldum Holmenkollrennene
9 March 1974   Magne Myrmo   Ivar Formo   Juha Mieto Holmenkollrennene
8 March 1975   Oddvar Brå   Ivar Formo   Magne Myrmo Holmenkollrennene
13 March 1976   Sven-Åke Lundbäck   Juha Mieto   Arto Koivisto Holmenkollrennene
12 March 1977   Thomas Magnuson   Ivar Formo   Juha Mieto Holmenkollrennene
11 March 1978   Matti Pitkänen   Magne Myrmo   Juhani Repo Holmenkollrennene
10 March 1979   Oddvar Brå   Per Knut Aaland   Thomas Wassberg Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1980   Thomas Wassberg   Per Knut Aaland   Jan Lindvall Holmenkollrennene
14 March 1981   Oddvar Brå   Alexander Zavyalov   Ove Aunli Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1982   Thomas Wassberg   Yuriy Burlakov   Lars Erik Eriksen 1982 World Championships/World Cup
12 March 1983   Asko Autio   Per Knut Aaland   Gunde Svan World Cup
10 March 1984   Tor Håkon Holte   Vladimir Sakhnov   Gunde Svan World Cup
16 March 1985   Geir Holte   Arild Monsen   Per Knut Aaland Holmenkollrennene[4]
15 March 1986 Classic   Gunde Svan   Torgny Mogren   Vegard Ulvang World Cup
21 March 1987 Classic   Thomas Wassberg   Per Knut Aaland   Thomas Eriksson World Cup
19 March 1988 Freestyle   Pierre Harvey   Silvano Barco   Maurilio De Zolt World Cup
4 March 1989 Freestyle   Vegard Ulvang   Holger Bauroth   Torgny Mogren World Cup
17 March 1990 Freestyle   Gunde Svan   Torgny Mogren   Alfred Runggaldier World Cup, held at Vang
16 March 1991 Classic   Vegard Ulvang   Harri Kirvesniemi   Sture Sivertsen World Cup
14 March 1992 Classic   Vegard Ulvang   Mikhail Botvinov   Luboš Buchta World Cup, held at Vang
13 March 1993 Classic   Alexey Prokurorov   Gudmund Skjeldal   Sture Sivertsen World Cup
1994 Not held (1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer)
11 February 1995 Classic   Vladimir Smirnov   Alexey Prokurorov   Mikhail Botvinov World Cup
16 March 1996 Classic   Erling Jevne   Krister Sørgård   Anders Bergström World Cup
15 March 1997 Freestyle   Pietro Piller Cottrer   Tor-Arne Hetland   Bjørn Dæhlie World Cup
14 March 1998 Classic   Alexey Prokurorov   Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset   Bjørn Dæhlie World Cup
20 March 1999 Freestyle   Mikhail Botvinov   Bjørn Dæhlie   Christian Hoffmann World Cup
11 March 2000 Classic   Harri Kirvesniemi   Mikhail Ivanov   Mikhail Botvinov World Cup
10 March 2001 Classic   Per Elofsson   Anders Aukland   Frode Estil World Cup
16 March 2002 Freestyle   Thomas Alsgaard   Kristen Skjeldal   Pietro Piller Cottrer World Cup
8 March 2003 Classic   Andrus Veerpalu   Anders Aukland   Andrey Nutrikhin World Cup
28 February 2004 Freestyle   René Sommerfeldt   Fulvio Valbusa   Lukáš Bauer World Cup
12 March 2005 Classic   Andrus Veerpalu   Jens Filbrich   Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset World Cup
11 March 2006 Freestyle   Anders Södergren   Giorgio Di Centa   Tom Reichelt World Cup
17 March 2007 Classic   Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset   Tobias Angerer   Frode Estil World Cup
8 March 2008 Freestyle   Anders Södergren   Lukáš Bauer   Remo Fischer World Cup
2009 Not held, reconstruction of the Holmenkollen National Arena
13 March 2010 Freestyle, mass start   Petter Northug   Pietro Piller Cottrer   Vincent Vittoz World Cup
6. March 2011 Freestyle, mass start   Petter Northug   Maxim Vylegzhanin   Tord Asle Gjerdalen 2011 World Championships
10 March 2012 Classic, mass start   Eldar Rønning   Dario Cologna   Martin Johnsrud Sundby World Cup
16 March 2013 Freestyle, mass start   Alexander Legkov   Martin Johnsrud Sundby   Ilia Chernousov World Cup
8 March 2014 Classic, mass start   Daniel Rickardsson   Martin Johnsrud Sundby   Alexander Legkov World Cup
14 March 2015 Freestyle, mass start   Sjur Røthe   Dario Cologna   Martin Johnsrud Sundby World Cup
6 February 2016 Classic, mass start   Martin Johnsrud Sundby   Niklas Dyrhaug   Maxim Vylegzhanin World Cup
11 March 2017 Classic, mass start   Martin Johnsrud Sundby   Iivo Niskanen   Alexander Bessmertnykh World Cup
10 March 2018 Freestyle, mass start   Dario Cologna   Martin Johnsrud Sundby   Maxim Vylegzhanin World Cup
9 March 2019 Classic, mass start   Alexander Bolshunov   Maxim Vylegzhanin   Andrey Larkov World Cup
8 March 2020 Classic, mass start   Alexander Bolshunov   Simen Hegstad Krüger   Emil Iversen World Cup
6 March 2022 Classic, mass start   Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget   Sjur Røthe   Didrik Tønseth World Cup
11 March 2023 Freestyle, mass start   Simen Hegstad Krüger   Hans Christer Holund   Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget World Cup
10 March 2024 Classic, mass start   Johannes Høsflot Klæbo   Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget   Pål Golberg World Cup

See also

edit

Sources

edit
  • Jakob Vaage, Tom Kristensen: Holmenkollen – Historien og resultatene. De norske Bokklubbene, Stabekk 1992. ISBN 82-525-1678-5 (p. 191-205 og 247-259, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • Foreningen til Ski-Idrættens Fremme gjennem 50 år 1883-1933. Dybwad, Oslo 1933 (s. 32-34, 52, 54-86, 236-238, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • Erling Ranheim (red.): Norske skiløpere - Skihistorisk oppslagsverk i 5 bind - Østlandet Sør. Skiforlaget - Erling Ranheim, Oslo 1956 (p. 38-39 og 120, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • FIS: Resultater (accessed 15 March 2015)

References

edit
  1. ^ "NRK: – Oi! Var jeg først, eller?". www.nrk.no. NRK. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ The Minneapolis journal: Big Carnival of Winter Sports at Holmenkollen - Results of the Events (p. 15, 21 February 1903, archived at Library of Congress)
  3. ^ From different sources referred to as Toikka, A. Toikka and V. Toikka, probably Valmari Toikka
  4. ^ 50 km did not have World Cup status this year