Date: April 2, 2022

Place: Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway

Distance: 50 km Classic technique

Active years: 63

Record number of participants: 1,585

Number of VSC sprints/climbing points: one sprint at 5 km in Storlømyra and one climb at 14 km in Orta, Halvor Hill

Start times: Men 10:30 CET, women 10:00 CET

Website: https://reistadlopet.no

Highest peak: 577 m

Total climb: 1219 m

The 50 km long Reistadløpet is the northernmost race in Visma Ski Classics, and it has one of the toughest courses in the Pro Tour. Many skiers claim that the race is the most demanding one. Reistadløpet starts in Setermoen, which is in the municipality of Bardu in Norway, and goes through arctic landscapes and mountain tops before reaching the finish line in Bardufoss in the municipality of Målselv.

So far, no one has won the race by only double-poling as most skiers use diagonal striding. The course has two challenging climbs up to the mountains, but the scenery up there is certainly breathtaking. Due to the pandemic, the race has not been organized in two years.

The race has a long history going all the way back to 1958, and it commemorates a local ski legend Colonel Ole Reistad, a Norwegian champion in pentathlon in 1922 and the leader of the ski patrol that won the Olympic gold in St. Moritz in 1928. 

Setermoen has one of the oldest army camps in Norway, and military education was established there in 1898 because of its strategic location in the midst of the mountains. The Norwegian Armed Forces has shaped the community through its presence in many ways, and there are 1,000 soldiers and 500 officers stationed there, making it the largest garrison in Norway.

Bardufoss has a civilian and military airport, and it is located about 82 km north of the town Narvik and about 70 km south of the city of Tromsø, the largest city in Northern Norway. Both Setermoen and Bardufoss are very small, but they have their own appeal and idiosyncrasies, and the majestic nature around these places certainly takes your breath away. 

If you happen to have some extra time on your hands, a day in Tromsø is highly recommended. The city center contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, and the oldest one dates back to 1789. You can enjoy the city’s wide offering of places to eat and comfortable cafés with tasty pastries. In Tromsø, you can just relax and let time stand still. 

Season IX (2019) top three:

Men

1. Mikael Gunnulfsen, Team Telemark, 2:00:59.3

2. Johan Hoel, 2:01:00.5

3. Erik Valnes, Team Koteng, 2:01:01.4

Women

1. Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Koteng, 2:19:06.0

2. Masako Ishida, Team Koteng, 2:19:17.9

3. Anna Svendsen, 2:20:48.4