MARCIALONGA: THE VIKINGS STEAL THE SHOW

The Norge Kasper Stadaas and Emilie Fleten triumph in the 53rd Marcialonga under heavy snowfall

Third consecutive victory for Fleten with a race decided on the Mur de la Stria

Stadaas celebrates his first Marcialonga win, and behind him, it's a photo finish

A memorable edition marked by snow, huge crowds, and stadium-style atmosphere

 

“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” sang Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Michael Bublé, and today the weather certainly obliged. The 53rd edition of the Marcialonga delivered an epic spectacle, one that even Luigi Delvai, 83 years old and one of the event’s legendary ever-present participants, said he had never experienced before. Heavy snowfall welcomed the competitors well before the start and did little to deter Kasper Stadaas and Emilie Fleten, the outstanding winners at the finish line in Cavalese.

It was truly a Marcialonga of heroes in the snow, especially for the thousands of amateur skiers. The iconic Fiemme and Fassa Valley race once again bore a strong Norwegian stamp, as the tactical yet spectacular race rewarded the two “Vikings” Stadaas of Team Aker Dæhlie and Fleten of Team Ramudden.

The men’s race proved to be slower than in previous years due to the persistent snowfall. The athletes remained compact on the way to the Canazei turnaround point, with Gustav Eriksson (Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino), Ole Jørgen Bruvoll (Team Engcon), and overall leader Amund Riege (Team Aker Dæhlie) taking turns at the front in the early stages. A fast Thomas Bing crossed first at the Canazei sprint.

Up to Predazzo, the long leading pack continued in single file, with the athletes watching one another and preparing for the decisive final section featuring the Cascata climb and the brutal Mur de la Stria. It was there that the race was settled, with Thomas Ødegaarden (Team Eksjöhus) leading on gradients reaching up to 20%, closely followed by Stadaas, Alex Jutterström, Riege, Alvar Myhlback, Oskar Kardin, and the rest of the contenders.

The enthusiastic crowd in Cavalese then witnessed a heart-stopping sprint finish. With a final explosive surge, Kasper Stadaas claimed his first Marcialonga victory. Second place was decided by centimetres, as Riege edged out young Swede Alvar Myhlback, who lunged across the line in third. After congratulating his rivals, Stadaas let out a triumphant roar, appearing remarkably fresh and delighted with a long-awaited success following his runner-up finish in 2022. “Marcialonga is the most important race for me. The atmosphere is fantastic, and the course is incredible. I’m extremely happy to have won. In the final stretch, I gave everything I had, so I’m more than satisfied today.”

The women’s race, which started at 8:05 a.m., followed a similar pattern, but Emilie Fleten, in sensational form, denied the spectators a sprint finish by breaking clear before the end, distancing compatriot Silje Øyre Slind and Sweden’s Jenny Larsson. From the opening kilometres, around ten athletes skied together at the front. The eventual podium trio took turns at the lead, with overall leader Anikken Gjerde Alnaes sitting just behind, waiting for her moment. After roughly 68 kilometres of the 70-km course skied shoulder to shoulder, Fleten unleashed a devastating acceleration and soloed to the finish, securing her third consecutive Marcialonga victory. Slind and Larsson followed in second and third, while Alnaes narrowly missed out on the podium.

Hundreds of competitors also took part in the 21st Marcialonga Light over 45 km to Predazzo, where Czech skier Jáchym Poul prevailed ahead of Italy’s Tommaso Dellagiacoma, while Anna Giordan successfully defended her title from last year.

The parade of thousands of skiers in the 53rd Marcialonga will continue to animate the two Trentino valleys for many hours to come. Great satisfaction was expressed by the Organising Committee, which, together with the efforts of more than 1,500 volunteers, delivered a successful edition despite the demanding snowy conditions.

Attention now turns to the next major Marcialonga event: the Marcialonga Cycling Craft, scheduled for May 31.

 

Marcialonga 70 km – Men

1 Stadaas Kasper NOR 3:30:03,6; 2 Riege Amund NOR 3:30:04,1; 3 Myhlback Alvar SWE 3:30:04,2; 4 Kardin Oskar SWE 3:30:04,3; 5 Kalland-Olsen Einar NOR 3:30:05,1; 6 Oedegaarden Thomas NOR 3:30:08,0; 7 Vesterheim Magnus NOR 3:30:09,2; 8 Jutterstroem Axel SWE 3:30:09,7; 9 Syrstad Torleif NOR 3:30:11,0; 10 Royer Jeremy FRA 3:30:15,6

 

Marcialonga 70 km - Women

1 Fleten Emilie NOR 3:41:35,6; 2 Slind Silje Oeyre NOR 3:41:55,2; 3 Larsson Jenny SWE 3:42:10,3; 4 Alnaes Anikken Gjerde NOR 3:42:28,0; 5 Stoestad Julie Kvale NOR 3:42:40,1; 6 Lindstroem Louise SWE 3:42:54,4; 7 Baangman Hedda SWE 3:43:22,9; 8 Roivas Kati FIN 3:43:24,9; 9 Elebro Lind Sofie SWE 3:43:29,8; 10 Lodin Hanna SWE 3:43:48,7

 

Marcialonga Light 45 km - Men

1 Poul Jáchym CZE 2:12:06,2; 2 Dellagiacoma Tommaso ITA 2:15:42,5; 3 Amhof Manuel ITA 2:16:31,7; 4 Vold Eivind NOR 2:18:41,7; 5 Battagini Davide ITA 2:20:02,7; 6 Barp Enrico ITA 2:20:03,2; 7 Levorato Mario EST 2:25:18,5; 8 Sandoz Daniel SUI 2:27:11,2; 9 Corradini Pietro ITA 2:27:36,4; 10 Orler Simone ITA 2:31:40,1

 

Marcialonga Light 45 km - Women

1 Giordan Anna ITA 2:31:57,3; 2 Benzoni Laura ITA 2:48:23,9; 3 Tomasini Monica ITA 3:21:27,6; 4 Miranová Tina CZE 3:25:22,0; 5 Beumler Tanja SUI 3:27:22,7; 6 Cavazzani Laura ITA 3:33:03,5; 7 Pedretti Giulia ITA 3:37:57,3; 8 Patente Patrizia ITA 3:45:44,1; 9 Da Re Silvia ITA 3:49:48,3; 10 Peschedasch Lisa ITA 3:53:38,9

 

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