Karoline Simpson-Larsen continued her impressive run of form on Saturday with a commanding win at the Birkebeinerløpet, finishing nearly a minute ahead of her closest competitor. The 27-year-old cross-country skier, fresh off her best-ever World Cup season last winter, proved unstoppable over the 21-kilometer trail.
“Training, sleeping, and eating well — it all pays off,” said Simpson-Larsen with a smile after crossing the finish line.
Representing Team Anlegg Øst, Simpson-Larsen clocked in at 1:47:15, beating Stine Holager of SK Vidar by 56 seconds. Defending champion Maren Wangensteen, now her teammate at Anlegg Øst, finished third, trailing by 1 minute and 11 seconds.
This spring, Simpson-Larsen made the switch from Team Elon Vest to the privately funded Team Anlegg Øst — a move that seems to be paying off. She admitted the course was both challenging and rewarding.
“The first 10 kilometers were fun with some rolling terrain,” she said. “But the downhill was brutal — we’ll just count it as extra training.”
Simpson-Larsen was particularly pleased with her win, considering the competitive field.
“It was a great surprise, especially with Marthe Mæhlum Johansen competing. She’s incredibly fast in marathons, but trail running is a different game compared to road races.”
Top 3 Women – Birkebeinerløpet (21km):
Karoline Simpson-Larsen (Raumnes og Årnes/Team Anlegg Øst) – 1:47:15
Stine Holager (SK Vidar) – 1:48:11
Maren Wangensteen (Høre Ryfoss IL/Team Anlegg Øst) – 1:48:26
Cross-Country Skier Thele Back on Men’s Podium
In the men’s race, cross-country skier Joar Thele of Team Burger King Northug once again made his presence known. Matching his performance from last year, Thele secured third place overall, demonstrating the strength of endurance athletes across sports.
Top 3 Men – Birkebeinerløpet (21km):
Weldu Negash Gebretsadik (IL i BUL) – 1:08:22
Sjur Prestsæter (SK Vidar) – 1:08:30
Joar Thele (Team Burger King Northug) – 1:09:48
As the summer season continues, the performances of Simpson-Larsen and Thele show that Norway’s cross-country skiers remain a force to be reckoned with — on both snow and trail.