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The Norwegian pro skier, team owner, FIS Worldloppet Cup winner, Olympic gold medalist Anders Aukland has set an impressive new world record past weekend: Skiing 700 consecutive kilometers over 41 hours. We have talked to the tired, but happy world record holder.

Worldloppet: 2 days later… I assume you are not fully recovered yet after 700 km skiing. How do you feel?

Anders: No, I am absolutely not recovered yet. I think this will last about one week. Now I am tired. Not too bad, but tired. My arms are sour and my elbow and fingers hurt, but I think in one week I will be recovered.

Is your season over now?

Anders: My season ended with Arefjällsloppet two weeks ago. This long-distance skiing trip was not really planned. Two days before we though, it would be a great idea to go for a really long skiing session, as in spring the skiing conditions are great near Oslo.

You have been skiing for 41 hours. Really non-stop?

Anders: Yes. We only made small breaks for refilling our drinking belts or get a gel or chocolate. 2-3 minutes maximum. Only one break was a little longer, maybe 7 minutes, when we had to take on more cloths during the night as it was really cold.

What was your strategy for this record?

Anders: Our goal was to enjoy a very long skiing session. We were not focussed on the world record, we were more interested in the experience of such a long session. The whole thing was not a “world record setup”. I also have never been skiing on the limit.

41 hours is a very long time. What was going through your mind during this time, what have you been thinking about?

Anders: I have never been skiing alone. My partners Simen (Oestensen) and Joar (Thele) and me, we have been talking a lot and when the two stopped, my brother Joergen joined me for the final 90 km. It is the same like during a normal training session: You talk, then there is silence for a while and then you talk again.
The hardest time was during the night, when your body shuts down and it was getting cold.

It is appropriate to call you “THE long-distance skier”: 14 victories in Worldloppet races. 28 podiums. What was the most valuable victory for you?

Anders: It is hard to say. But I think it is my Vasaloppet victory from 2004. For a young skier, the Vasaloppet is THE race you want to win. But also the victories at Birken, Jizerska50 and Marcialonga have been great.

What ist the Worldloppet race you like the most?

Anders: The good thing with long-distance skiing is, that there are so many different races for different preferences. I like the different opportunities in Worldloppet. If you want to do a fast skating race, go to Engadin. If you search for a long classic race, go for Vasaloppet. Every race has its speciality.
For me personally it is the Vasaloppet and then Marcialonga. My opinion is: Long-distance races should be long distance! This makes the difference to worldcup races.

Are there any goals left for you now?

Anders: As me and my brother Joergen are owning a pro-team – Team Ragde Eiendom – my goal is that our team is winning races coming season. Of course, I also want to perform well in some races, but being 49 years old is not really an advantage, it would be better to be 25. So my goal is to help other skiers winning races.

We have a goal for you: You have finished 10 different Worldloppet races, which would make you a Worldloppet Master. But there are 10 more races all over the globe you have not skied yet. When you finish them, you’ll become a Global Skier – this would even be 1088 km – wouldn’t that be a goal for you?

Anders: (thinking) I have not been thinking about that yet. But I have made very good experiences with Worldloppet so far. I have great memories from my trip to the Australian Kangaroo Hoppet in 1994… So maybe I will do more races over the next two years. Yes… why not.