Karlsson Leads Swedish Sweep Through Holmenkollen Fog

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The prize for winning Oslo’s Holmenkollen 50 k is lifelong bragging rights. Such is the nature of the prestige afforded this event within the Nordic ski community. Norwegian fans, especially, remember certain years, certain races, certain rivalries; especially those that are memorable for the racing conditions that challenged the athletes. Fans are likely to remember this 2026 edition, and the thick, stubborn fog that enveloped the racers throughout the 50 kilometer distance. Stadium announcers regularly reminded the audience that racers were entering the stadium . . . otherwise, fans might not have known. The fog may have appeared thicker and soupier through the lens of broadcast cameras, but it’s certain that the fog hung close to the ground, obscuring skiers’ views of the course, of the crowds, and of their competitors. Perhaps that had something to do with the more measured pace the leaders selected. By the halfway point of the race, the entire women’s field was still together (not at all the normally expected state of affairs in women’s mass-start Distance racing). The regular cast of contenders remained at the front—Frida Karlsson (SWE), Ebba Andersson (SWE), Heidi Weng (NOR), Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR), Jonna Sundling (SWE), and Jessie Diggins (USA)—but none of them seemed eager to race off alone.

Karlsson would emerge from the fog first, crossing the finish line all alone to claim her third Holmenkollen race, and her third at the 50 kilometer distance. Behind Karlsson, her Swedish teammates—Linn Svahn and Jonna Sundling—would sprint across the line in second and third, just ahead of Heidi Weng (NOR), Nora Sanness (NOR) and Jessie Diggins (USA).

“It’s such a magic day for our team,” beamed Karlsson. “It’s our first “triple” in the distance, and it’s sick!”

Canada’s Alison Mackie remained in the top 10 through the halfway mark, and continued to make her presence felt throughout the 50 kilometer distance. . A young skier with a bright future, Mackie was certainly making he most of her first Holmenkollen. She would finish the day in 14th, sandwiched between established distance-racing stars Kristin Austgulen Fosnaes NOR) and Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR).

Kendall Kramer (USA started 45th (out of 50 starters), but in the close company of the 46th starter, Delphine Claudel (FRA), a world class Freestyle competitor. If they could work together, they could make up many places in a hurry. By the five kilometer mark, Claudel had managed to work her way all the way up to the front . . . but Kramer was nowhere to be seen. Claudel would hang on to finish 28th. Kramer would cross the line 41st.

Holmenkollen 50 k Freestyle

The Holmenkollen 50 k consists of six laps of an 8.3 kilometer loop, demanding 1000 feet of climbing per lap. And this day in Oslo, race organizers elected to stage the race in a manner that put both the women’s field and the men’s field on the course at the same time, albeit separated by half a lap’s distance. The men’s field would come through at the end of the bonus points at 19.6 kilometers just before the women started, providing a head start of approximately a four kilometers. Stragglers from the men’s field would ultimately be caught by the women. Likewise, stragglers from the men’s field would later be caught by the women. In the thick fog that hovered over the course during today’s race, there was plenty of opportunity for mild confusion.

Karlsson Weng, Andersson, and Slind would ease to the front, providing the early pace, but not going straight to the accelerator as they might have done on a normal day. Behind them, another predictable tier of racers followed, including Nepryaeva, Sundling, and Diggins. The men’s field had already passed through 20 kilometers in a massive, cohesive unit. It was possible that the bizarre conditions on the day would influence the women’s field to do the same.

Diggins won the bonus points at the three kilometer check point, gaining another 12 points over her closest rival in the chase for the Crystal Globe, Moa Ilar (SWE). Diggins would again remain ahead of Ilar at the 11.3 bonus points line. Diggins would collect eight points by crossing the line fourth.

Just before the end of the second lap, Slind stumbled and fell. She would need to spend extra energy to rejoin the leaders, if she was even able to. The field would slow a bit in the feed zone, but Slind would still have a gap of nearly eight seconds to make up . . . and Weng, Andersson, Karlsson, and Diggins continued to make the pace at the front.

Karlsson upped the pace as they approached the 27.9 bonus points line, gapping he rest of the field in the company of Weng and Karoline Groetting (NOR). Diggins led the rest just nine seconds behind, but it seemed that a gap was forming. Diggins would use the technical downhills of the Holmenkollen course to rejoin the leaders, though she also dragged other sprinters forward. With twenty kilometers remaining, the leaders had yet to get rid of Sundling and her Swedish teammate, Olympic Sprint champion, Linn Svahn. Karlsson and Weng would’ve known that their chances of victory relied on their ability to drop those sprinters. All the leaders opted to switch skis at the end of the lap. They would all be on new skis for the final two laps.

Karlsson used the first uphill of the fifth lap to break away. She was followed briefly by Groetting, bu by the top of the slope, Karlsson was away, disappearing into the fog at the front. Groetting would dangle alone in the fog ahead of a chase group led by Svahn. Diggins would continue to bob at the back—on again, off again—repeatedly showing her ability to close gaps and make up ground.

With 12 kilometers to go, Karlsson was away, in full flight, and powering through the fog. Her lead would continue to grow: ten seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, ultimately extending to nearly two minutes. The solo chaser, Groetting, would be caught by the chase group that now consisted of six: Weng, Svahn, Sundling, Groetting, Nora Sanness (NOR), and Diggins. Diggins may be leading the World Cup Distance standings, but Karlsson was continuing to prove that she is the premier Distance skier in the world.

Karlsson would ski the last lap alone to claim her second Holmenkollen 50 k victory. The chase group would decide the podium with a sprint to the line, in which Svahn would outsprint Sundling. Weng would cross fourth, ahead of Sanness and Diggins.

Karlsson had shown the potential to exit the recent Olympic Games in possession of four gold medals . . . her performances would deliver only two (the Skiathlon, and the 10 k Freestyle). After the disastrous tumble of Ebba Andersson in the Team Relay (which allowed Norway to steal away the gold medal), and Karlsson’s own illness that kept her from competing in the 50 k, Karlsson appeared still to have something to prove when she toed the Holmenkollen starting line in Oslo. She would ski away from the rest of the best, stamping her authority on this historic race and claiming the sort of lifelong bragging rights that only the Holmenkollen can provide.

Holmenkollen Women’s 50 k Freestyle RESULTS

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