Jessica Yeaton and Niklas Dyrhaug were the top women's and men's finishers at the 46th running of the American Birkebeiner Nordic ski marathon Saturday in Hayward, Wisconsin.
In the 50-kilometer skate race, Yeaton, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, finished in 2 hours, 13.20 minutes, 41.7 seconds ahead of Riitta-Liisa Roponen, of Haukipudas, Finland. Erika Flowers, of Bozeman, Montana, was third in 2:15.00.
“It was fresh corduroy the whole way and I kept thinking to myself this is the best Nordic skiing I’ve done,” Yeaton said in a Birkebeiner release. “This win means more to me than any victory in my career. It’s just so special.”
Dyrhaug, of Trondheim, Norway, won in 1:59:01.7, just 1.6 seconds ahead of Ian Torchia, of Rochester, Minnesota. Robin Duvillard, of Chapelle-En-Vercors, France, was third in 1:59:03.7.
“I was together with a group on the lake, and I managed to take the sprint to the finish, and I’m really happy,” Dyrhaug said in a Birkebeiner release. “The finish with so many spectators is a really special moment. It was a good day.”
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In the 55-kilometer classic men's race, Peter Holmes, of Ketchum, Idaho, placed first in 2:26:46.4. Chris Pappathopoulos, of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was second in 2:38:38.8 and Evan Wetzel, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, was third in 2:38:40.7.
In the women's classic race, Nicole Bathe, of Great Britain, placed first in 2:49:47.0. Anja Gruber, of Germany, was second in 2:55:20.3 and Delaney Fitzpatrick, of Minocqua, Wisconsin, was third in 3:00:38.3.
The 2020 Birkie featured competitors from 27 countries and 47 states. The 47th Birkebeiner is set for Feb. 25-27, 2021. Registration for the 2021 race begins May 1. For more information, visit www.birkie.com.
