After a short while away from the top of the podium the World Cup leaders were back in first place again in the sixth competition - long distance in Tynset, Norway. Pasi Ikonen, Finland, and Simone Luder, Switzerland, both won and increased their leads in the overall standing.

Simone Luder came to Norway with three wins in the World Cup. After a second place in the sprint competition in Røros she was back on top at the long distance in Tynset. Karin Hellman from Sweden was one of the first starters and Hellman came first of all runners to the finish, in a time very close to the one stipulated by the course-planner. Hellman then had two nervous hours of waiting before one of the last starters, Simone Luder, could beat her time. Luder was 1.11 ahead of Hellman.
- I am very satisfied. To win in this type of terrain is great for me, says Luder who gained a lot of time on a long route choce on a way around one of the big hills in competition area.
Hanne Staff, Norway was third and Swedens Katarina Allberg was fourth. That means no changes in the overall top three. Luder first, Staff second and Allberg third.

In the mens class it was real tight between the ten first. At last there were three Finnish runners on top. Pasi Ikonen took his second long distance victory this season and he had his team mates Mats Haldin and Jani Lakanen just behind.
- Strange. It was not the type of terrain that we are used to in Finland. We do not have theese big hills and endless slopes, says Haldin.
The competition was dramatic, but after the race there was even mor drama to come. The two norwegians Bjørnar Valstad and Tormod Berg was disqualified because they had run with shoes with spikes. The norweigian team handed in a protest and the jury finally decided to guiltify the results for Valstad and Berg. Valstad 14.th and Berg 16:th in the race. The dispute was mostly a thing between Finlands team officials and Norway.

Text: Henrik Erickson
Photo: Erik Borg