Ski Classics is a series of long-distance cross-country ski races in classic style that has been held since 2011. In season XII, 2021-2022, the circuit included 14 events, in a professional tour for the 35 Pro Teams involved. From 2015 to 2022, the official name of the circuit was Visma Ski Classics, thanks to their main sponsor.
The special thing about the Ski Classics concept is that anyone can start the races: professional or amateur, male or female, 25 or 75 years old. Everyone stands together on the same starting line to face the same weather conditions and the same course.
Ski Classics has also, since April 2019, launched the concept of Challengers. This tour has been created to connect and promote long distance skiing events worldwide. By autumn 2021, 39 races were on the Challenger calendar, combining cross-country skiing in winter and roller skiing throughout the year.
History
The cup was first arranged in 2011. The Czech skier
Stanislav Řezáč won the men's overall cup, and the Swiss skier
Seraina Boner won the ladies' overall cup.
In 2012, the cup consisted of 7 races. The races were
Jizerská padesátka,
Marcialonga
Marcialonga is a cross-country ski race which is arranged for the last Sunday in January in Trentino in Italy. It was first held in 1971 and has been a part of Worldloppet as long as Worldloppet has been around.
The run begins in Moena, where th ...
,
König Ludwig Lauf,
Tartu Maraton,
Vasaloppet
( Swedish for 'the Vasa-race') is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of Berga, just south of Sälen in western Dalarna, Sweden, and ends in the town of Mora in t ...
,
Birkebeinerrennet
Birkebeinerrennet (lit. The Birkebeiner race) is a long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It debuted in 1932 and has been a part of Worldloppet since Worldloppet's inception in 1979.
The Birkebeinerrennet is one of th ...
and the final
Norefjellrennet which was cancelled because of lack of snow. The Norwegian cross country skier
Anders Aukland won the overall cup. He participated for the Norwegian team
Team Xtra Personell. The Swedish skier
Jenny Hansson
Jenny Hansson, born 26 August 1980, is a Swedish former cross-country skier who competed between 2002 and 2013. Her best World Cup finish was third in the 4 × 5 km relay in Sweden in November 2008. Hansson's best individual finish was 39th ...
won the ladies' overall cup.
In 2013, the cup consisted of 6 races,
Jizerská padesátka,
Marcialonga
Marcialonga is a cross-country ski race which is arranged for the last Sunday in January in Trentino in Italy. It was first held in 1971 and has been a part of Worldloppet as long as Worldloppet has been around.
The run begins in Moena, where th ...
,
König Ludwig Lauf,
Vasaloppet
( Swedish for 'the Vasa-race') is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of Berga, just south of Sälen in western Dalarna, Sweden, and ends in the town of Mora in t ...
,
Birkebeinerrennet
Birkebeinerrennet (lit. The Birkebeiner race) is a long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway. It debuted in 1932 and has been a part of Worldloppet since Worldloppet's inception in 1979.
The Birkebeinerrennet is one of th ...
and
Årefjällslopet. It is an overall-cup, a sprintpoints-cup, a youth-cup and a team competition. The most profiled teams are
Team Xtra Personell,
Team United Bakeries,
Team Coop,
Team Tynell,
Team Skinfit Racing Team and
Team Skigo.
In 2014, the cup consisted of 6 races, among them
La Diagonela,
Marcialonga
Marcialonga is a cross-country ski race which is arranged for the last Sunday in January in Trentino in Italy. It was first held in 1971 and has been a part of Worldloppet as long as Worldloppet has been around.
The run begins in Moena, where th ...
and
Vasaloppet
( Swedish for 'the Vasa-race') is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of Berga, just south of Sälen in western Dalarna, Sweden, and ends in the town of Mora in t ...
.
Rickard Tynell won the first race, held in Switzerland due to lack of snow in Czech Republic.
Events Season XII: 2021/2022
Previous winners
2011
Teams
#Team Xtra Personell
#Team Exspirit
#Team United Bakeries
Champion Men
#Stanilslav Rezac
#Jerry Ahrlin
#Anders Aukland
Champion Women
#Seraina Boner
#Jenny Hansson
#Susanne Nyström
Sprint
#Anders Aukland
Youth Men
#Anton Sjöholm
Youth Women
#Laila Kveli
2012
Teams
#Team Xtra Personell
#Team Exspirit
#Team United Bakeries
Champion Men
#Anders Aukland
#Stanislav Rezac
#Jörgen Brink
Champion Women
#Jenny Hansson
#Susanne Nyström
#Seraina Boner
Sprint
#Stanislav Rezac
Youth Men
#Morten Eide Pedersen
Youth Women
#Laila Kveli
2013
Teams
#Team Xtra Personell
#Team Coop
#Team United Bakeries
Champion Men
#Anders Aukland
#Jörgen Aukland
#Stanlislav Rezac
Champion Women
#Seraina Boner
#Laila Kveli
#Jenny Hansson
Sprint
#Simen Östensen
Youth Men
#Morten Eide Pedersen
Youth Women
#Laila Kveli
2014
Teams
#Team United Bakeries
#Team Centric
#Team Coop-Exspirit
Champion Men
#Johan Kjölstad
#John Kristian Dahl
#Simen Östensen
Champion Women
#Seraina Boner
#Laila Kveli
#Susanne Nyström
Sprint
#John Kristian Dahl
Youth Men
#Christoffer Callesen
Youth Women
#Inger Liv Bjerkreim Nilsen
2014/2015
Teams
#Team Santander
#Team United Bakeries
#Team Coop
Champion Men
#Petter Eliassen, Team Leaseplan Go
#Anders Aukland, Team Santander
#Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team Santander
Champion Women
#Katerina Smutna, Team Silvini Madshus
#Seraina Boner, Team Coop-Exspirit
#Britta Johansson Norgren, Team SkiProAm
Sprint
#Öystein Pettersen, Team United Bakeries
Youth Men
#Anders Malmen Höst, Lyn Ski
Youth Women
#Tone Sundvor, Team Synnfjell
References
External links
* {{Official website
Ski marathons
Skiing in Europe
Recurring sporting events established in 2011