SWIX SKI CLASSICS. The competition will be extremely tough at Årefjällsloppet, the Swix Ski Classics final on Saturday in Åre, Sweden. 21 different Swix Ski Classics pro teams will be on the start line on Saturday and there are open competitions for all the leading bibs in Swix Ski Classics at Årefjällsloppet race on Saturday.

Photo by Magnus Östh / Swix Ski Classics

In the women's competition there are several good skiers on the start line, and the women will start 15 minutes before the men, giving them a chance to get a proper competition and a good TV coverage. Seraina Boner (Team Coop) is one of the big favorites among the women, leading Swix Ski Classics and winning Årefjällsloppet 2013. Another strong candidate is Vasaloppet's winner Lailia Kveli (Team Centric) and the women's team SkiProAm with Sara Lindborg, Britta Johansson Norgren and Annika Löfström. Other strong skiers are Tuva Toftdahl Staver (Team Coop) leading the youth competition, the long distance elite will also be challenged on saturday by traditional distance skiers such as the Swedish Olympic Champions Emma Wiken and Charlotte Kalla together with Finlands Kerttu Niskanen.

In the men's competition there are three candidates to become the Swix Ski Classics Champion; Johan Kjølstad (Team United Bakeries), John Kristian Dahl (Team United Bakeries) and Simen Østensen (Team Centric). But there are several strong skiers on the start line also fighting for a victory at Årefjällsloppet, like Anders and Jørgen Aukland (Team Centric) who won Årefjällsloppet last year, Olympic Gold medalist Daniel Richardsson (Helsinge Ski Team) Oskar Svärd (Team Coop), Lukas Bauer (Team Coop) Daniel Tynell (Team Tynell) and Anders Södergren (Team LeasePlan Go).

See full ELITE START LISTS ÅREFJÄLLSLOPPET

See standings before Årefjällsloppet below and on: Swix Ski Classics website.

Swix Ski Classics Champion
Men
#     Country  Name  Team  Points
1     [NOR]  JOHAN KJØLSTAD  UNBA  660
2     [NOR]  JOHN KRISTIAN DAHL  UNBA  543
3     [NOR]  SIMEN ØSTENSEN  CENT  506
4     [SWE]  DANIEL TYNELL  TTYN  385
5     [CZE]  STANISLAV ŘEZÁČ  CENT  380
Women
#     Country  Name  Team  Points
1     [SUI]  SERAINA BONER  COOP  670
2     [NOR]  LAILA KVELI  CENT  560
3     [SWE]  SUSANNE NYSTRÖM  CENT  455
4     [SWE]  ANNIKA LÖFSTRÖM  SKIP  365
5     [RUS]  OLGA ROTCHEVA  RUSM  325
SprintSwix Ski Classics Sprint
#     Country  Name  Team  Points
1     [NOR]  JOHN KRISTIAN DAHL  UNBA  180
2     [NOR]  MORTEN EIDE PEDERSEN  COOP  160
3     [NOR]  THOMAS HENRIKSEN  LEAS  75
4     [NOR]  ESPEN HARALD BJERKE  COOP  60
5     [SWE]  RIKARD TYNELL  TTYN  45
TeamSwix Ski Classics Team
#     Team  Points
1     TEAM UNITED BAKERIES  1780
2     TEAM CENTRIC  1633
3     TEAM COOP  1331
4     TEAM LEASEPLAN GO  816
5     RUSSIAN MARATHON TEAM  788
YouthSwix Ski Classics Youth
Men
#     Country  Name  Team  Points
1     [NOR]  CHRISTOFFER CALLESEN  LEAS  300
2     [NOR]  TORE BJØRSETH BERDAL  UNBA  265
3     [NOR]  STIAN HOELGAARD  NPRO  169
4     [SWE]  BILL IMPOLA  COOP  141
5     [NOR]  ANDERS HØST  CETA  81
Women
#     Country  Name  Team  Points
1     [NOR]  TUVA TOFTDAHL STAVER  COOP  265
2     [NOR]  INGER LIV BJERKREIM NILSEN  UNBA  265
3     [SWE]  LINA KORSGREN  SKIP  165

You can follow the PRESS CONFERENCE live on Thursday, 27 March at 17.30 CET on www.swixskiclassics.com

Follow SWIX SKI CLASSIC and ÅREFJÄLLSLOPPET on Saturday, 29 March at 08.30 CET at Swix Ski Classics Live Center

The world´s leading long-distance skiing championship, Swix Ski Classics,consists of long distance races across Europe; Jizerská Padesátka Czech Republic, La Diagonela Switzerland, Marcialonga Italy, König Ludwig Lauf Germany, Vasaloppet Sweden, Birkebeinerrennet Norway and Årefjällsloppet Sweden.

Press Release
Swix Ski Classics
Thu, March 27, 2014 2:15 pm