– A technical knockout – Dagsavisen

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This resulted in Karlsson’s victory in the Swedish cross-country prodigy’s very first meeting with the power test in Kollen. She did not participate when the women went five miles for the first time last season.

– I would say that this is a technical knockout. She simply skis much better than the others, said TV 2 expert Petter Soleng Skinstad on the channel’s broadcast.

– What a race. She does things right and attacks at the right time. Simply raw, was the verdict from Petter Northug.

Ebba Andersson ensured a Swedish double victory, while German Katharina Hennig took third place. Astrid Øyre Slind was unable to keep up in the battle for the podium places and ended up in a disappointing seventh place.

Extra gear

Frida Karlsson was part of the front group in the race until three miles had been completed. Then the 24-year-old from Sollefteå put in an extra gear and quickly got a solid gap on the other victory candidates.

After that, Karlsson almost seemed to have inexhaustible energy. She kept her style all the way in and was never close to letting her pursuers in on her.

At the finish, the margin of victory was a formidable one minute and 19 seconds.

Thus, this year’s Kollen five-mile for women was a completely different affair to the historic edition a year ago. Then there was a sprint battle for the victory from a small group of runners. Ragnhild Haga eventually clinched the victory ahead of Astrid Øyre Slind.

Frida Karlsson had time to bring a Swedish flag up the run in Holmenkollen. (Beate Oma Dahle/NTB)

Victory number ten

On Saturday, Slind was the only one of the Norwegian runners who stayed in the group behind the superb Karlsson for a long time. The other home hopefuls had a hard day at work.

Partly loose and difficult conditions made Saturday’s race a rare test of strength.

The victory was Karlsson’s tenth individual in the World Cup. The previous one came at the 20-kilometer classic style in Canmore, Canada, at the beginning of February.

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FACT

Cross-country World Cup in Holmenkollen on Saturday:

Women, 50 km classic:

1) Frida Karlsson, Sweden 2.20.20.3, 2) Ebba Andersson, Sweden 1.19.3 min. bak, 3) Katharina Hennig, Tyskland 1.25,2, 4) Teresa Stadlober, Østerrike 1.25,4, 5) Kerttu Niskanen, Finland 1.33,2, 6) Jonna Sundling, Sweden 1.35,5, 7) Astrid Øyre Slind, Norge 1.36 ,4, 8) Johanna Matintalo, Finland 1.42,3, 9) Victoria Carl, Tyskland 1.57,5, 10) Krista Pärmäkoski, Finland 3.59,1.

Other Norwegians: 15) Heidi Weng 5.59,9, 16) Margrethe Bergane 8.00,5, 18) Lotta Udnes Weng 8.15,0, 20) Silje Theodorsen 8.39,9, 21) Hedda Østberg Amundsen 8.45,2, 22) Marte Skaanes 8.59 ,9, 23) Nora Sanness 9.00,7, 24) Emma Kirkeberg Mørk 9.37,5, 26) Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs 10.18,4, 34) Johanne Hauge Harviken 13.49,7, 36) Sigrid Leseth Føyen 14.16,1.

World Cup combined (32 out of 36 races): 1) Jessie Diggins, USA 2404, 2) Linn Svahn, Sweden 2242, 3) Karlsson 2078, 4) Carl 1854, 5) Niskanen 1755, 6) Sundling 1746, 7) Rosie Brennan, USA 1720, 8) Emma Ribom, Sweden 1495, 9) H. Weng 1448, 10) Andersson Sweden 1275.

Other Norwegians (top 30): 17) Kristine Stavås Skistad 879, 18) Slind 804, 22) LU Weng 764, 23) Fosnæs 762, 25) Bergane 711, 27) Mathilde Myhrvold 700.

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