Ski Classics ends Season XIV in another back-to-back Pro Tour event weekend, with Reistadløpet on Saturday, April 1, and the brand-new Ski Classics Finale Summit 2 Senja on Sunday, April 2.
Reistadløpet – Get To Experience The “Pure Arctic Madness”
On Saturday, April 1, 2023, the Ski Classics weekend finale starts with Reistadløpet, the season’s thirteenth event and one of the most demanding courses in the Pro Tour circuit.
The 40-kilometer-long Reistadløpet is the northernmost race in Ski Classics. The race starts in Setermoen, in the municipality of Bardu, Norway, and goes through arctic landscapes and mountain tops before reaching the finish line in Bardufoss in the municipality of Målselv.
So far, no one has won the race by only double poling, as most skiers use kick wax and diagonal striding. The course has challenging climbs up to the mountains, but the scenery is breathtaking.
A Long Military History
Reistadløpet has a long history going all the way back to 1958. The event commemorates a local ski legend Colonel Ole Reistad, a Norwegian champion in the pentathlon in 1922 and the ski patrol leader that won Olympic gold in St. Moritz in 1928.
Setermoen has one of the oldest army camps in Norway, and military education was established there in 1898 because of its strategic location in the middle of the mountains. The Norwegian Armed Forces have shaped the community through its presence in many ways, and there are hundreds of soldiers and officers stationed there, making it the largest garrison in Norway.
Highly Accessible And Yet So Far Away
Bardufoss has a civilian and military airport located about 82km north of the town of Narvik and about 70km south of Tromsø, the largest city in Northern Norway. Both Setermoen and Bardufoss are very small, but they have their appeal and peculiarities, and the majestic nature around these places certainly takes your breath away.
If you have extra time to visit, a day in Tromsø is highly recommended. The city center contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, and the oldest one dates back to 1789. You can enjoy the city’s vast offering of places to eat and comfortable cafés with tasty pastries. In Tromsø, you can relax and let time stand still.
Ski Classics Iconic Climbs
The new addition to Season XIV is the Ski Classics Iconic Climbs, a new category in the Ski Classics points table used for the most iconic climbs of Ski Classics.
For Season XIV, there will be four Iconic Climbs. Fourth and final is Orta, the Climb of Reistadløpet.
Orta Iconic Climb
- Event: Reistadløpet – Ski Classics Event 13
- Date: April 1, 2023
- Climb: After a couple of kilometers from the sprint checkpoint, skiers look up in front of them, and there is a mountain wall to be climbed to Orta, from 136 to 575m above sea level, 6 kilometers long, with many very steep sections and short flats in between. The iconic Orta climb is the main reason Reistadløpet has never been won without kick wax.
Read More About the Iconic Climbs: Ski Classics Launch Iconic Climbs
Reistadløpet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 13
- Date: April 1, 2023
- Distance: 40km Classic Technique
- Location: Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway
- Start Time: Women 10:00 CET / Men 10:30 CET
- Number of SC Sprints: 1
- Sprint: 5km – Storlømyra
- Number of SC Climbs: 1
- Climb: 14km – Orta (Iconic Climb)
- Total Ascent: 983m
Reistadløpet – Course Map and Profile
You can find the Reistadløpet program, start lists, and live streaming on SC Play HERE when available.
Summit 2 Senja – The Brand-New Ski Classics Finale
Ski Classics ends Season XIV with the brand-new Ski Classics Finale Summit 2 Senja in Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway.
The event is the fourteenth and final event of Season XIV, where all the Pro Tour athletes and their Pro Teams will be present to celebrate the end of the season on Sunday, April 2, 2023.
The 68-kilometer race starts in Bardufoss and ends in Finnsnes at the bay, passing through fantastic landscapes. Summit 2 Senja is a race from the mountains to the fjords involving two more municipalities, Sørreisa and Senja.
The Ski Classics Finale Summit 2 Senja originates in Reistadløpet’s motto: “Develop skiing in the region.” This is a collaborative project to establish a unique skiing and public health infrastructure, with a main network of 100km of ski trails between Finnsnes and Setermoen.
Reistadløpet and Ski Classics Finale Summit 2 Senja will be the most important ingredients in the Reistadløpet Ski Festival, where several other events will be available for the public.
Summit 2 Senja – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 14
- Date: April 2, 2023
- Distance: 68km Classic Technique
- Location: Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway
- Start Time: Women 9:05 CET / Men 9:00 CET
- Number of SC Sprints: 1
- Sprint: 13km – Lombnesmyra
- Number of SC Climbs: 1
- Climb: 63km – Magdaskaret
- Total Ascent: 1531m
Summit 2 Senja – Course Map and Profile
You can find the Summit 2 Senja program, start lists, and live streaming on SC Play HERE when available.
For Reistadløpet and the Ski Classics Finale Summit 2 Senja events, expect no less than a spectacular finish for the Ski Classics Season XIV.
Ski Classics Fantasy
The free-of-charge Fantasy League for Season XIV is in progress. Create or access your account now and start to set up your Fantasy Pro Team ahead of Reistadløpet and Summit 2 Senja and score the most points during the Ski Classics Season XIV.
How to Play
- Go to SC Fantasy via https://fantasy.skiclassics.com/
- Login with your existing Fantasy account or create a new one.
- Read through “HOW TO PLAY” to ensure you understand all the rules and new features.
- Go to “Team Selection” and choose/buy up to 10 athletes using your starting balance of 40.000 Fantasy dollars. Check out the start lists before each event to ensure that your athletes are on the start line.
- Remember to mark one of your athletes as a Team Captain!
- Go to “Leagues” and join an existing league or create your own to compete with your friends.
- Invite your friends and family to join you for free in an exciting battle for the win!
- Have fun, and may the best ski coach win!!
All TV Channels Season XIV
Reistadløpet and Summit 2 Senja are taking place this weekend. Here is an overview of where you can watch Ski Classics this season:
- SVT – Sweden
- NRK – Norway
- Czech TV – Czech Republic
- TVP – Poland
- WB Discovery – Finland
- Nent Group – Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, UK
- beIN Sports – Canada, Turkey, and USA
- Eurovision (EBU) – News rights
- SC PLAY – all countries (English commentary)
The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)
- Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
- Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
- Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km
- Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
- Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
- Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km
- Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
- Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
- Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 68km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.
As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site and live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentaries on SC PLAY.
When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.
Register HERE as a Member.
