FasterSkier

Tag: Sandra Hansson

  • Ski Classics: Boner’s Version

    Sandra Hansson’s behavior toward the end of the FIS Ski Classics marathon König Ludwiglauf Sunday stirred a lot of strong reactions. Hansson has publicly apologized for her behavior. Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet got offended skier Seraina Boner’s version of what happened.

    “I was totally shocked over her behavior. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I just wanted to pass her. Because the course is pretty narrow toward the end, it’s important to be in a good position. But I didn’t stand a chance. She blocked me, punched me with her pole and screamed something I didn’t understand. It was madness,” Seraina Boner said to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet.

    The Swiss Ski Association sent a formal complaint to the FIS after the fact, but pointed out that in the finish area Boner didn’t show obvious signs of anger. “Yes, I was mad. I just didn’t want to see her face. She was celebrating her victory. I couldn’t understand how she could be so happy,” Boner said.

    – People say you were bleeding when you came across the finish?

    “Yes, I my arm was bleeding where her pole hit me,” Boner said.

    Boner has been informed that Hansson’s winning points were reduced by 30 points, which leaved Boner ahead for the overall Ski Classics lead. Boner also pointed out that the Swiss Ski Association has protested Hansson’s behavior to the FIS as well.

    “We have sent a formal protest to the FIS, which is not decided yet. I don’t know what they will do about it, it’s not up to me. I don’t know what the norm is in ‘regular’ cross-country competitions. Maybe they do these things all the time? I was definitely mad when it happened to me. The fastest skier should win, but I never got the chance,” Boner said to Dagbladet.

    All said, Boner still thinks Hansson would have had a good chance at the victory even without violating the fair play rules.

    “I’m sure she has a strong finish regardless, she could have won the fair way,” Boner said.

    – Have you raced head to head with her before?

    “No, this was actually my first time. In the two other races we’ve done together, we’ve each won our race, but those victories have been of the undisputed kinds (ed: Boner won the Marcialonga),” she said.

    From langrenn.com and Daglbadet.no February 9, 2011. Translation by Inge Scheve

  • FIS Classics: Ulvang shocked over König Ludwiglauf Fair Play Violation

    “Ski Classics can’t just go in there and appoint their own jury. Only the FIS jury can judge in cross-country skiing,” Vegard Ulvang said to Langrenn.com.

    Ulvang is reacting to the Sandra Hansson’s case of unfair play in the 2011 König Ludwiglauf in Germany last weekend, which resulted in Hansson having her points for winning the FIS Ski Classic race reduced as a penalty for her actions.

    “I am shocked that Nils Marius Otterstad (ed. Hansson’s team manager) and Ski Classics steps up and plays jury here. They do not have the right to do that. Only an FIS-appointed jury that can make these decisions. That is the first principle, and this is shocking,” Ulvang said to Langrenn.com.

    “This is a clear example that private players in this field are a concern,” Ulvang added.

    – But why didn’t FIS act on this after the incident?

    “I don’t want to comment on this case. The FIS had a jury on site, and as far as I know, this jury did not act on the situation. Nobody else can put together a jury of their own and make these decisions,” Ulvang said. “If anyone is discontent, they have the right to appeal,” he emphasized.

    – Nils Marius Otterstad criticized the FIS for not taking action, and argue that the FIS doesn’t care about the ski marathons. What is your comment on that?

    “If he criticizes the FIS, he is basically criticizing himself. The FIS has a separate citizen race and marathon committee, consisiting of representatives from all the major ski marathons. This committee appoints the jury,” Ulvang explained.

    David Nilsson: – We had to take action

    David Nilsson, the Ski Classics director, said to Langrenn.com that in their opinion, the Hansson incident was grave enough that they felt required to step in.

    “If we hadn’t reacted in this case, that would have been damaging to both the reputation of the Ski Classics, and ski marathons in general. We have a point system, and there is a lot of prize money at stake,” Nilsson said.

    While Langrenn.com was interviewing Nilsson, they were informed that the Swiss Ski Association (representing the offended skier Seraina Boner) had submitted a formal protest to the FIS about the incident between Hansson and Boner.

    “To us, it would be peculiar if the FIS doesn’t react to this incident,” Nilsson concluded.

    “They totally didn’t care about König Ludwiglauf”

    Jørgen Aukland (NOR/Team XtraPersonell) said the FIS has ignored marathon racing for too many years.

    Aukland has raced the FIS marathon circuit for a decade and argues that FIS never cares.

    “FIS has neglected and ignored marathon racing for far too long,” Aukland said to Langrenn.com.

    After Sandra Hansson (Team United Bakeries) was stripped of a portion of her points due to the incident in the König Ludwiglauf in Germany last Sunday, several people have reacted both to Hansson’s unfair behavior in the race and to the Ski Classic organizers taking matters in their own hands.

    “But what should the Ski Classic organizers have done? FIS didn’t care about the König Ludwiglauf. Nowbody knew where the technical delegate was, he didn’t have a cell phone on him, there was no coaches’ meeting and there was no m formal seeding. This was all just a mess. How should the racers deal with that? Nobody did anything,” Aukland said to Langrenn.com.

    Aukland is mad

    “I understand that this creates a conflict of interest, but Otterstad and Ski Classics have already publicly apologized for that. But that’s not what this is about. I’ve never seen Vegard Ulvang at a FIS marathon before. He speaks before he even knows the details. Nothing has happened on the marathon circuit for the last decade. Ski Classics really does a great job exposing this aspect of ski racing and contributes to unite the cross-country communities. It’s awesome that someone finally took action in the incident on Sunday,” Aukland said to Langrenn.com.

    “All the racers I’ve talked with supports the Ski Classic’s decision in this case,” he added.

    The youngest Aukland brother in the strong ski family tried repeatedly to contact Ulvang on Tuesday but was unable to get a hold of him.

    “I just wanted to give him my opinion. This is a hopeless situation,” Fredrik Aukland said.

    “The FIS is sleeping in class, and during the König Ludwiglauf they definitely didn’t do their job. Then someone else has to do it, and it’s good that they did,” he concluded.

    From Langrenn.com, February 8 and 9, 2011 By Ola Jordheim Halvorsen, translation by Inge Scheve

  • Ski Classics Penalty to Sandra Hansson: with VIDEO

    Ski Classics experienced a Fair Play incident in yesterdays König Ludwig Lauf on which Ski Classics will take action.

    During the last kilometer in König Ludwig Lauf, the athletes Sandra Hansson and Seraina Boner, had an intense fight for the leading position in the women class. These so-called fights are a part of cross-country skiing ,however, in this particular fight  Sandra Hansson clearly blocked Seraina Boner on several occasions in an unfair way. It is stated in Ski Classics Rules Paragraph 8, that “All athletes participating in Ski Classics must act according to Fair Play”, hence Sandra Hansson’s behavior was in violation to this paragraph.

    Ski Classics will reduce Sandra Hansson´s score in the Ski Classics Champion race with 30 points, and she will receive 70 points for König Ludwig Lauf instead of 100 points.

    No adjustment will be made to Seraina Boners 80 points. Hence Seraina Boner is the new leader of Ski Classics Champion race.

    Please note that this penalty only affects Ski Classics, and not  FIS Marathon Cup.

    Ski Classics will continue to promote Fair Play in cross-country skiing, and strongly believe that this was a single isolated incident by Sandra Hansson.

    Video of the situation:

  • Aukland, Hansson and Team Exspirit in the Ski Classics Lead

    Aukland, Hansson and Team Exspirit in the Ski Classics Lead

    Jizerska Padesatka 2011 – Men's Podium – Oskar Svard, Anders Aukland, Stanislav Rezac

    After a long and intense battle between Oskar Svärd, Team Exspirit, and Anders Aukland, Team Xtra Personell, the later turned out victorious in the Ski Classics event Jizerska Padesatka held this weekend in Bedrichov, Czech Republic.

    The two broke away after the first 10k climb and stayed together until the Smedava climb at kilometer 30. In the climb Anders Aukland went all in and showed great climbing skills. Third came Stanislav Rezac, Team Patria Direct, and fourth Mathias Fredriksson, Team Exspirit, after a sprint against Audun Laugaland, Team United Bakeries,  who finished in 5thplace.

    The women’s race was won by Sandra Hansson, Team United Bakeries. Second was Seraina Boner from Engadin Skimarathon Team, and third and fourth place went to two Team Exspirit skiers, Susanne Nyström and Jenny Hansson.

    In the Ski Classics Team competition, where the two best male and single best female skier count, the Swedish based Team Exspirit leads ahead of the two Norwegian teams – Team United Bakeries and Team Xtra Personell. Lars Ljung from Helsinge Ski Team is the current leader of the Ski Classics youth competition, the best skier under the age of 26.

    Next Ski Classics race is the Marcialonga, Italy on the 30th of January.

    Further info on www.skiclassics.com

    Jizerska Padesatka 2011 – Complete Results (PDF)

    Jizerska Padesatka 2011 – Women's Podium – Serraina Boner, Sandra Hansson, Susanne Nyström
  • Duel of the Marathoners

    Duel of the Marathoners

    OSLO, NORWAY – Oslo’s local ski organization Skiforeningen and Thomas Alsgaard’s new distance initiative Team United Bakeries dish up a 10K classic suffer fest with more than 1,200 feet elevation gain. Start is Sørkedalen, Oslo, finish at Tryvann.

    Jörgen Brink Photo: Madshus AS

    According to the start list, both Team United Bakeries and Team Xtra Personell are well represented in the elite wave. Both current Vasaloppet champion from Team United Bakeries, Jörgen Brink (SWE), and 2008 Vasaloppet champion Jørgen Aukland (NOR) from Team Xtra Personell are registered and ready to duke it out for bragging rights. Add 2008 and 2009 Vasaloppet champion Sandra Hansson (SWE) in the women’s race to the mix for a total of three Vasaloppet champions on the start line.

    “We’re really excited to have this kind of a marathon field. We think this event has potential, and next year, we’re planning to have the finish in the new roller ski arena at Holmenkollen,” Ole Kristian Sørland of Skiforeningen says to the Norwegian web site birken.no.

    From www.skiforeningen.no and www.birkebeiner.no, compiled by Inge Scheve, FasterSkier.