Nopesport

Wast-Ed after a wee training session

While there were questions raised over the length of today's Classic races at the World Cup in Germany, there was a race of an even greater distance happening near Fredrikstad in Norway. The Blodslitet, translated as 'The Bloody Strenuous Race', is hosted by Fredrikstad Ski Klubb, home to Clive Parry, every year and is a mass start race with a number of looped courses.

This year saw the H21's tackle a course of 26.5km and it was the Swedish club Södertälje Nykvarn who dominated taking the top 3 spots, Erik Axelsson winning by over a minute from his teammates in a time of 3:01:12. Sadly nopesport's Ed Nicholas didn't take the challenge set by forum members to run the longest course. In D21, even after 15.1km it came down to a sprint finish to decide the top places with Finn Sara Forsström holding off Gøril Fristad to take victory by just 2 seconds in a time of 2:02:01. Less than 10 seconds behind them there was a battle for 3rd spot with Fredrikstad's Birgitte Huseby overtaking Fey Zsuzsa at the final control and managing to hold her off on the run in. Helen Palmer, running for Ravinen finished in 16th place with a time of 2:28:56.

In the junior courses there was a number British runners taking on the Blodslitet challenge. JWOC bronze medalist Alison O'Neil tackled the 12.5km D17-20 course, finishing in 11th place with a time of 1:57:27, just 11 minutes down on the winner Betty Ann Bjerkreim Nilsen. Another sprint finish ensued on the 18.7km H17-20 course with Magne Dæhli pulling away on the run in to win by 8 seconds in a time of 2:10:38. Mark Nixon finished in 13th, just 3 minutes down in a time of 2:13:42 while further down the field was Dan Halliday in 38th, Andrew Brunton in 44th, nopesport.com's Pyrat in 76th with Ed pulling up the rear (but by no means last) in 91st place with a time of 3:49:07.

Hopefully we'll get some further coverage from the boys once they've recovered.
Results are available here.

Ed after the Blodslitet (only joking - i hope!)