The Blink Festival in Sandnes (The Ingebrigtsen brothers hometown) in Western Norway is under way. So far we seen 3 roller ski races but the summer biathlon starts today.
Here are the top 10s
Women
7,5k Climb Skating
Sophie Ireland Laukli Konnerud IL 35:161
Delphine Claudel FRA 35:292 00:13
Heidi Weng Bul IL 36:063 00:50
Flora Dolci FRA 36:074 00:51
Margrethe Bergane Konnerud IL 36:485 01:32
Ragnhild Gløersen Haga Åsen IL 37:006 01:44
Tiril Udnes Weng Nes Ski 37:277 02:11
Katerina Janatova CZE 37:568 02:40
Baiba Bendika LAT 38:129 02:56
Anna Comarella ITA 38:2710 03:11
7,5k Climb Double Pooling
Astrid Øyre Slind Oppdal IL, Team Aker Dæhlie 37:191 102
Emilie Fleten Gol IL, Team XPND Fuel 39:582 02:39103
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs Rustad Idrettslag, Team Ragde Ch 40:483 03:29105
Hedda Bångman SWE, Team Nordic Experience 41:364 04:17109
Kati Roivas FIN 41:495 04:30106
Karolina Hedenstrøm SWE, Team Lager 157 42:416 05:22110
Ida Marie Dahl Ringkollen Skiklubb, Team engcon 43:487 06:29101
Frida Ekers SWE, Team Eksjøhus 45:088 07:49107
Barbro Sætha Lyn Ski, Team Næringsbanken 45:519 08:32112
Solene Faivre SUI, Team Nordic Experience 47:4910 10:30
50k Classic
1 206 3505449 SÖMSKAR Linn SWE SWE - Team engcon 2:02:18.9 0.0
2 204 3425350 SLIND Astrid Øyre NOR Oppdal IL - Team Aker Dæhlie 2:04:36.8 +2:17.9
3 205 3205403 CARL Victoria GER GER 2:07:30.2 +5:11.3
4 211 3425863 ALNÆS Anikken Gjerde NOR Rustad Idrettslag - Team Ragde Charge 2:13:02.5 +10:43.6
5 203 3515221 FAEHNDRICH Nadine SUI SUI 2:13:02.7 +10:43.8
6 207 3425600 FLETEN Emilie NOR Gol IL - Team XPND Fuel 2:13:02.9 +10:44.0
7 213 3185497 ROIVAS Kati FIN FIN - Team Næringsbanken 2:17:41.0 +15:22.1
8 215 3505681 ERKERS Frida SWE SWE - Team Eksjøhus 2:17:41.1 +15:22.2
9 201 3425421 HAGA Ragnhild Gløersen NOR Åsen IL 2:18:48.2 +16:29.3
10 217 3505880 BÅNGMAN Hedda SWE SWE - Team Nordic Experience 2:18:50.5 +16:31.6
The womens field lack depths but atleast Laukli, Sömskar and Slind looks super strong. Weng have had lots of issues but seems to be in the upwards traectory atleast. Also noted Davidova is taking part, thougth she would retire.
Men
7,5k Climb Skating
Simen Hegstad Krüger Lyn Ski 28:551 1
Hans Christer Holund Lyn Ski 29:122 00:172
Ireneu Esteve Altimiras AND 29:253 00:3013
Clement Parisse FRA 30:084 01:1310
Eric Rosjø SWE 30:135 01:1817
Iver Tildheim Andersen Rustad Idrettslag 30:176 01:2216
Jens Burman SWE 30:387 01:435
Hugo Lapalus FRA 30:468 01:5111
Naoto Baba JPN 30:499 01:5420
Maurice Manificat FRA 31:0010 02:05
7,5k Climb Double Pooling
Johan Hoel Åsen IL, Team Ragde Charge 32:131 6
Herman Paus Asker Skiklubb, Team Ramudden 32:142 00:017
Andrew Musgrave GBR, Team Næringsbanken 32:333 00:202
Johannes Ekløf SWE, Team Ramudden 32:524 00:393
Amund Hopstock Riege Rustad Idrettslag, Team 33:105 00:5719
Axel Jutterstrøm SWE, Team Eksjøhus 33:256 01:129
Stian Hoelgaard Gjesdal IL, Team Aker Dæhlie 33:277 01:148
Magnus Vesterheim Kvæfjord Idrettslag 33:27 01:1412
Morten Eide Pedersen Lillehammer Skiklub, Team Eksjøh 33:369 01:2310
Alfred Buskqvist SWE, Team Ramudden 33:4210 01:29
50k Classic
1 4 3501352 NOVAK Max SWE SWE - Team Aker Dæhlie 1:59:21.5 0.0
2 7 3220002 MUSGRAVE Andrew GBR GBR - Team Næringsbanken 1:59:21.6 +0.1
3 26 3423707 VESTERHEIM Magnus NOR Kvæfjord Idrettslag - Team Kaffebryggerie 1:59:24.5 +3.0
4 34 3422208 BERG Stian NOR Hamar Skiklubb - Team Kaffebryggeriet 1:59:24.9 +3.4
5 16 3421239 HOELGAARD Stian NOR Gjesdal IL - Team Aker Dæhlie 1:59:25.1 +3.6
6 40 3424232 RIEGE Amund Hopstock NOR Rustad Idrettslag - Team Ramudden 1:59:25.2 +3.7
7 41 3190541 JOLY Thomas FRA FRA - Team Nordic Experience 1:59:25.3 +3.8
8 6 3501305 EKLØF Johannes SWE SWE - Team Ramudden 1:59:25.4 +3.9
9 12 3422029 HOEL Johan NOR Åsen IL - Team Ragde Charge 1:59:25.8 +4.3
10 38 3420009 JESPERSEN Chris André NOR Strindheim IL - Team Aker Dæhlie 1:59:25.8 +4.3
The usual suspects on the mens side. Kreuger and Holund are dominanting the climbing event as usual. Musgrave always lok strong during summer, as is Novak. Impressed by young Riege, he was top 10 in the Uphil race and the broke away with Novak and Musgrave in the masstart but broke his pole in finishing strech and was recovered by the bunch.
Sömskar is a rollerski specialist, with outside hope of making a few WC sprint races. Slind is focusing on the ski classics. Laukli is a good skater and weighs about 50 pounds, which is ideal for uphill races, hence why she also did well in the Alpe Cermis last season. Like most on the US team, she struggles in classic, so not sure what to expect from her in non distance skate races. Looks like a Liz Stephen/Morgan Arritola 2.0.