Norwegian national team camp report:
Eldar Rœnning won the 3000 meter track race Saturday morning. The start of the 25 kilometer mass-start rollerski race was only 1.5 hours later. Rœnning was again the fastest.
– Eldar got away in a downhill section at the end of the rollerski race. That’s very impressive after running a very strong 3000 meter on the track only a couple hours earlier that day, says coach Vidar Lœfshus.
Petter Northug was second ahead of Tord Asle Gjerdalen. Roger Aa Djupvik and Johan Kjœlstad placed fourth and fifth.
Therese Johaug won the women’s race ahead of Astrid Urenholdt Jacobsen and Kristin Stemland.
– It was a light rolling course along the coast. No one was very interested in setting the pace, but it went steady fast. Some were dropped in the uphills as the race went on, said Lœfshus.
A local 35 kilometer long bike race is on the agenda tomorrow. Only Eldar Rœnning and Tor Arne Hetland will participate from the national team, while the rest of the team will end the camp today (Saturday).
Training the competition instinct:
Both Team Trœndelag and the Norwegian Nordic combined national team participated in the races.
– There are many candidates for World Cup spots on Team Trœndelag, and it’s excellent that that they are a part of this. The competition is great and they get to sharpen their competition instinct, concluded Lœfshus.
Simen Østensen was sick on Saturday and didn’t race but won Friday’s sprint race ahead of Eldar Rœnning.
