Andreas Nygaard and Astrid Öyre Slind won Vasaloppet 2022
There were two Norwegian victories in Vasaloppet 2022: Andreas Nygaard took his second win, sprinting across the finish line. It was Norway’s tenth straight Vasaloppet victory. In the women’s class, Astrid Öyre Slind took her first victory after coming in second twice before. She also set a new track record.
Sunshine, 13 degrees below freezing and perfect, easy-to-ski tracks – these were the conditions when the 98th Vasaloppet 90km long-distance cross-country ski race started in Berga by at 08:00, 100 years after the first start in 1922. It was a beautiful day, practically designed as propaganda for skiing.
Nygaard sprinting to his 2nd victory at Vasaloppet
The pace was furious from the start as the biggest favourites set off at high speeds. First up to the climb prize pass, the highest point of the course after three kilometres of skiing, 528 metres above sea level, was Herman Paus with last year’s winner Tord Asle Gjerdalen only two tenth of a second behind.
The hunt was on! But after Smågan, the pace settled down a bit. The leading group at Mångsbodarna after 24 kilometres consisted of 50 men and sprint specialist Stian Berg took the sprint prize.
First across the bridge in Läde, where all Vasaloppet have crossed since 1922, was Anders Aukland, team captain for Team Ragde Charge. When arriving at Eldris, Ragde was the biggest team, making up six skiers of the total 17 skiers. Last year’s winner Gjerdalen was not one of them as he’d had to fall behind.
One of the 17 people in the cluster – and they really were a cluster, skiing abreast in the four tracks – would win, but who? There were five Swedes, with Max Novak making a few attempts. Emil Persson was also there. With one kilometre left, three Ragde skiers held the lead. The sprint on the 320 metre final stretch would decide everything.
Andreas Nygaard was first to turn at the Zorn Museum, with Emil Persson and Mora skier Axel Jutterström right behind. Emil overtook Andreas but Andreas ski poled his way past again and won Vasaloppet 2022 by one second.
Andreas, 31, who also won in 2018: “I am so happy, I am so very happy,” said an emotional Andreas who had a hard time putting his feelings into words immediately after the finish. “It has been a lot of hard work, and skiing life isn’t always so easy. There are a lot of emotions… I think this will be hard to beat. With these conditions and fantastic skis, Joar Thele gave me his ski pole when mine broke during the race, and I managed to deliver, it’s so crazy and nice.”
Vasaloppet 2022 Men’s Results
- Andreas Nygaard, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.18
- Emil Persson, (SWE) Lager 157 Ski Team, 3.32.19
- Axel Jutterström, (SWE) Team Eksjöhus, 3.32.20
- Kasper Stadaas, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.21
- Joar Andreas Thele, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.21
- Herman Paus, (NOR) Team Ramudden, 3.32.21
- Johan Hoel, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.22
- Erik Rosjö, (SWE) Team Eksjöhus, 3.32.22
- Anders Aukland, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.23
- Karstein Johaug, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.32.23
Astrid Öyre Slind makes it a Norwegian Double Victory
In Smågan, four women skied together: Britta Johansson Norgren and the three Norwegians Astrid Öyre Slind, Thea Krokan Murud and Emelie Fleten. Three-time Vasaloppet winner Lina Korsgren was half a minute behind, in fifth place, and Marit Björgen was an additional minute behind.
Astrid Öyre Slind took the sprint prize in Oxberg by a narrow margin and a little later Britta had to fall behind. Astrid skied on as a lone woman up to Mora, becoming the third Norwegian woman through the ages to win Vasaloppet (after Vibeke Skofterud 2012 and Laila Kveli 2013 and 2014). Not only that, Astrid also broke the track record by two minutes and took home a bonus of 50,000 SEK for the new record. The new record time is 3.50.06.
“Finally, it means so much to succeed in the biggest competition. I have won many small competitions and I know that I have a high level, but this is the day that matters. And managing it all today, it was wonderful. I thought it was tough up until Mångsbodarna but gradually it got better and better. In the end I had good control and it’s nice to feel that way. When Britta fell behind I tried to push hard but at the very end I could just enjoy it.”
Vasaloppet 2022 Ladie’s results
- Astrid Öyre Slind, (NOR) Team Koteng Eidissen, 3.50.06
- Britta Johansson Norgren, (SWE) Lager 157 Ski Team, 3.52.53
- Emilie Fleten, (NOR) Team XPND FUEL, 3.54.28
- Thea Krokan Murud, (NOR) Lager 157 Ski Team, 3.55.16
- Lina Korsgren, (SWE) Team Ramudden, 3.57.53
- Marit Björgen, (NOR) Team Ragde Charge, 3.59.34
- Ida Dahl, (SWE) Team Ramudden, 4.04.30
- Laila Kveli, (NOR) Team Engcon, 4.04.45
- Evelina Settlin, (SWE) Team Engcon, 4.04.56
- Heli Heiskanen, (FIN) Slavia Pojistovna Sport Team, 4.07.11
