The Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja, the 13th and final event in the Ski Classics World Championship Season XVII, took place this Sunday in Norway.
On the updated 2026 course, featuring a 60km loop with start and finish in Bardufoss, Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, secured the event victories with solid performances.
With the results, Amund Riege and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs are crowned Ski Classics World Champions Season XVII. All bib competition winners are listed below.
GRAND FINALE SUMMIT 2 SENJA – MEN
The men’s race started at 8:30 CET, with a fast pace from the start as Team Engcon took control. A front group of around 20 skiers formed ahead of the Premium Sprint.
An early break was initiated by Syrstad, with Riege and Kardin responding. Soon, a small group formed at the front, with several strong skiers working together to establish a gap.
At the Premium Sprint checkpoint at Austtjønnmyra, 11.7km into the race, Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, crossed the sprint line first and grabbed maximum points and won the Green Sprint bib Season XVII. Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed the line in second, followed by Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon. Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, who was only one point behind Strid in the Sprint competition, crossed the checkpoint in 9th place.
After the sprint, the breakaway kept working well and maintained the lead, with eight strong skiers at the front. At Skihytta, 26.6km into the race, Syrstad crossed first, followed by Riege and Kardin, with seven skiers within 9.3 seconds.
Heading to the Climb checkpoint of the day at Berrskallen, 32.7km into the race, Syrstad was on the offensive, with the skiers constantly working to stretch the lead. Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon, crossed first, closely followed by Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, 0.5 seconds back, while Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, was 7.9 seconds back. With the Climb results, Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon, sealed the victory in the Climb bib competition Season XVII.
After the climb, a leading trio of Syrstad, Vesterheim, and Riege broke clear, working well together and building a solid gap over the chasers.
Inside the final kilometers, the pace increased again. With 2km to go, Syrstad attacked, and only Riege could follow, setting up a sprint between the two.
In the end, Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, timed his sprint perfectly to win the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja in 2:30:52.5, securing his fifth Pro Tour victory, becoming a Ski Classics Legend, and sealing both the overall Ski Classics World Championship title and the Youth bib in a remarkable season.
Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon, finished second, 2.4 seconds back, while Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, completed the podium, 26.4 seconds behind.
Top 3 Men
- Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, 2:30:52.5
- Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon, +2.4
- Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, +26.4
Results from the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja can be found HERE – Final Standings HERE
GRAND FINALE SUMMIT 2 SENJA – WOMEN
The women’s race started at 8:40 CET, with a controlled pace early on and a leading group of nine skiers forming.
At the Premium Sprint, 11.7km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, took maximum points, followed by Julie Kvale Støstad, Team Ramudden, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs crossed in fourth place, securing the Sprint bib for Season XVII.
The race opened up as Fleten repeatedly increased the pace on the climbs, gradually reducing the front group.
Halfway through the race, five skiers regrouped at the front: Øyre Slind, Alnæs, Lodin, Fleten, and Schützová. A few kilometers later, Fleten increased the pace once again, and now only Gjerde Alnæs could follow ahead of the Climb of the day.
At the Climb checkpoint, 32.7km into the race, the leading duo showed good cooperation. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossed the Climb checkpoint first, followed by Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden. Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, crossed third, 15.5 seconds back. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, crossed in 4th place, 16.1 seconds back, and sealed the Climb bib competition Season XVII, just one point ahead of Gjerde Alnæs.
In the final part of the race, Gjerde Alnæs made the decisive move, creating a gap over Fleten and Lodin. Despite a brief regrouping, she attacked again inside the final 10km and built a decisive lead.
In the end, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, timed her move perfectly and won this year’s Summit 2 Senja in a total time of 2:51:47.9, sealing the overall Ski Classics World Championship title.
Second place went to Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, after getting a gap over Fleten in the last few kilometers. Lodin finished 1:01.7 behind the winner, while Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in third, 1:23.6 back.
TOP 3 WOMEN
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 2:51:47.9
- Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, +1:01.7
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +1:23.6
Results from the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja can be found HERE – Final Standings HERE
SKI CLASSICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITIONS – FINAL STANDINGS
After a long winter and 13 Pro Tour events, the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja concluded all bib competitions in the Ski Classics World Championship Season XVII.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, secured the overall victory and became Ski Classics World Champions.
In the Sprint bib competition, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, secured the Green Sprint bib overall.
Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon, won the overall Climb bib competition Season XVII.
The Pink bib for the best Youth was secured by Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie.
Team Engcon is the overall winner in the Pro Team competition Season XVII, followed by Team Eksjöhus in second place and Team Ramudden in third.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja. Emilie Fleten and Magnus Vesterheim, both from Team Ramudden, were voted Skier of the Day by fans via the Ski Classics App, in recognition of their strong performances and impact on the race.
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026
Ski Classics World Championship Season XVII (2025/2026)
Season XVII of the Ski Classics World Championship consists of 13 events across 9 event weekends in 6 countries.
- Event 1: December 13, 2025 – Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: December 14, 2025 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: January 17, 2026 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 47km
- Event 4: January 25, 2026 – Marcialonga – Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70km
- Event 5: January 30, 2026 – Bedřichov Sprint – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 1.5km
- Event 6: February 1, 2026 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 7: March 1, 2026 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 8: March 7, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Women – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 9: March 8, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Men – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: March 14, 2026 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 53km
- Event 11: March 21, 2026 – Marcialonga Bodø – Sulitjelma, Norway, 46km
- Event 12: March 28, 2026 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 35km
- Event 13: March 29, 2026 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss, Norway, 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics World Championship, make sure to visit skiclassics.com
Author: Leandro Lutz
Photos: Nordnes/NordicFocus
