Norway’s Squad
Men’s Senior, 7.5 km:
Ole Kasper Harlem Fosser, IL Heming.
Simen Halle Haugen, IK Tjalve.
Eivind Øygard, Jølster IL.
Mads Orø Olsen, Ringerike FIK.
Filip Mangen Ingebrigtsen, Sandnes IL.
Women’s Senior, 7.5 km:
Selma Løchen Engdahl, FIK Orion.
Thea Charlotte Knutsen, Varegg IL.
Maiken Homlung Prøitz, IK Tjalve.
Mari Roligheten Ruud, IL in BUL.
Men’s Junior, 4.5 km:
Kristian Bråthen Børve, Ullensaker/Kisa IL.
Magnus Øyen, Rindal IL.
Åsmund Sunde Førde, Jølster IL.
Lukas Buncic, Ullensaker/Kisa IL.
Women’s Junior, 4.5 km:
Wilma Anna Bekkemoen Torbiørnsson, Ullensaker/Kisa IL.
Mia Austevik Bø, IL Skjalg.
Marte Hovland, VIK IL.
Notably, only three competitors will represent this category.
The Nordic Championship cross-country race invites all participants, though only the selected runners will vie for points in the Nordic national competition.
Weather Forecast
Preview of the Championship from Friidrett.no
A Glimpse into Norwegian Gold Potential in Finland
The stage is set for an exciting Nordic cross-country championship this Sunday in Vanta, Finland. While the country’s elite senior runners are absent, the squad is still packed with talent, particularly among the junior competitors. The senior athletes will tackle a 7.5-kilometer course, while juniors will cover 4.5 kilometers, with three runners from each nation competing in the team events.
Four Norwegian women have been selected, all of whom shone during the recent Norwegian long-track cross-country championship held at Ekeberg in mid-October, securing places from silver to fifth. Sadly, Selma Løchen Engdahl of Orion, who pushed hard in the sprint for gold, has withdrawn but would have been a strong contender. Varegg’s Thea Charlotte Knutsen is a formidable presence, having made a splash in the U20 category at last year’s European Championship, adding intrigue for her performance here. Finland’s Ilona Mononen, a standout in the 3000-meter hurdles, and Denmark’s promising duo, reigning bronze medalist Juliane Hvid and last year’s fourth-place finisher Nanna Bove, will certainly pose challenges. Norway has triumphed in the women’s team competition for the past two years, and while defending the title will be tough, it remains a possibility.
Though the top three men from the Norwegian championship are not participating, the fourth to seventh-place finishers will compete, alongside Filip Mangen Ingebrigtsen from Sandnes. With ambitions of running in December’s European Championship, he’ll need to secure top honors here to keep his hopes alive. Ingebrigtsen has previously demonstrated his knack for terrain challenges, claiming European gold in 2018. Meanwhile, Kasper Fosser of Heming has a history of performing well, even without a map and compass, and aims for a podium finish, having placed fourth two years ago. Though Simen Halle Haugen from Tjalve has withdrawn, the primary favorite remains Denmark’s Joel Ibler Lillesø, with Iceland’s Baldvin Magnusson also a noteworthy contender. Norway captured the team title last year, and there remain strong prospects for another gold.
Marte Hovland from Vik, this fall’s Norwegian junior champion in long-track cross-country, will be joined by Wilma Bekkemoen Torbiørnsson of Ull/Kisa, the 17-year-old who posted the best time in the 4K at the NM. Both will compete in Finland with medal aspirations. Torbiørnsson has had an outstanding season, ranking among the top European U18 competitors in the 3000 meters and winning bronze in the 1500 meters at this year’s U18 European Championship. Additionally, she has excelled in a 10-kilometer street race this autumn and is a gold favorite, with Sweden’s Elsa Sundqvist expected to provide tough competition. Hovland, seasoned from last year’s European Championship, will look to showcase her continued growth.
Although U20 world champion Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen is absent, Norway boasts strong contenders in the men’s junior class, namely Magnus Øyen from Rindal and Kristian Bråthen Børve from Ull/Kisa. Øyen, who came close to securing gold at NM with a silver finish behind Fjeld Halvorsen, has two more seasons in the junior category to claim victory. His teammate Bråthen Børve won silver at last year’s Nordic championship and captured bronze at this year’s national championship, positioning him for a potential podium finish this year. Norway has also enlisted Lukas Buncic from Ull/Kisa and Åsmund Sunde Førde from Jølster, formidable runners who enhance the hope for another team gold, following a streak of victories in the past three championships. Sweden’s Karl Ottfalk, the field’s standout in the 3000 meters with a personal best of 7:58.05, is the reigning champion, while another solid competitor from Sweden, Sebastian Lörstad, adds to the competitive landscape.
