Anders Aukland (NOR) & Seraina Boner (SUI) win the 75th Birkebeinerrennet

Anders Aukland (NOR) wins the 75th edition of the Birkebeinerrennet (54km classic) – Seraina Boner (SUI) winner on the women's side!!!

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) winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup with 405 points – Stephanie Santer (ITA) winner on the women's side!

Stanislav Rezac (CZE) is the winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 with 405 points in front of Jörgen Brink (SWE, 288 points) and Joergen Aukland (NOR, 282 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!

Source:  www.worldloppet.com