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Holmenkollen 50 km

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Holmenkollen 50 km
Frequencyannually
VenueHolmenkollen National Arena
Location(s)Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway
Inaugurated1898
ActivityCross-country skiing
Organised byHolmenkollen Ski Festival
Lauritz Bergendahl won the 50 km five times (1910, 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915).
Photo: Gabrielsen, ca. 1910 (Oslo Museum / Digitalt Museum)
Oscar Gjøslien photographed during his 50 km winning race in the 1935 edition.
Photo: S. Gran (Oslo Museum / Digitalt Museum)

The Holmenkollen 50 km is an annual cross-country skiing race held at Holmenkollen National Arena in Oslo, Norway. The competition is part of the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. Previous to 2023 The 50 km distance is raced by men only as the women's equivalent is a 30 km race. Starting in 2023 both men and women will race 50k.

History

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The first 50 km race in Oslo was planned to be part of Husebyrennet i 1887, but was first held in 1888. Torjus Hemmestveit won the inaugural 50 km race. 17 skiers started the race, 12 finished. The course consisted of two laps of 25 km and started at the velodrome at Majorstuen.

The next long-distance race, a 30 km, was planned to be part of Holmenkollrennene in 1898, but was cancelled due to lack of snow. 30 km races were held in 1900 and 1901, and the winners of these races are widely recognised as Holmenkollen 50 km winners. Also the winner of the 1907 edition is recognised as a winner, even though the course length was only 40 km. The first Holmenkollen 50 km race was held in 1902. The course consisted of two laps of 25 kilometres, both started and finished at Frognerseteren. For safety reasons, all skiers had to stop for a five-minute rest. These required pauses was only mandatory in the 1902 edition.

In 1905, the 50 km race was again cancelled due to lack of snow. Holmenkollrennene (later known as Holmenkollen Ski Festival) were in 1909 a part of a common arrangement with the first Norwegian Championships in cross-country skiing, and since a 30 km race was held at Lillehammer in these championships, the 50 km race in Holmenkollen was not held. The first foreign competitors at the Holmenkollen 50 km were a number of Swedes participating in 1903. The first non-Norwegian to win the race was Finnish skier Anton Collin in 1922. Tapani Niku, also from Finland, finished in second place.

In 1925 was the 50 km cancelled due to lack of snow in the days before Holmenkollrennene. Holmenkollrennene was threatened by lack of snow also in 1932, but was held two weeks after schedule. Holmenkollrennene, including the 50 km were not held during the Second World War.

Oslo arranged the World Championships in 1930, 1966, 1982 and 2011. In all the World Championships held in Oslo, the Holmenkollen 50 km was arranged as a part of the World Championships. In 1952, a separate 50 km race was held two weeks after the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. The individual races in the 1982 World Championships were a part of the 1981–82 Cross-Country World Cup, the first official World Cup season, and the Holmenkollen 50 km race has since been a part of the World Cup, with the exception in 1985 when the 50 km did not have World Cup status. The cross-country skiing events at the 2011 World Championships were not part of the World Cup, unlike the 1982 World Championships.

In the 1985–86 season, cross-country skiing started to distinguish techniques and arrange separate races in classic style and freestyle (skating). The 50 km in Holmenkollen has since been arranged in both techniques. Lack of snow hindered the Holmenkollrennene again in 1990 and 1992, which caused the 50 km to be moved to Vang. Lillehammer hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics, and no 50 km race was held in Holmenkollen that year. The Holmenkollen National Arena was reconstructed in 2009 to prepare for the 2011 World Championships and the 50 km was therefore replaced by a World Cup race in Trondheim. Since 2010, the Holmenkollen 50 km has been competed with a mass start.

There was no race in 2021. It resumed the next year.

Records

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Lauritz Bergendahl has the three biggest winning margins in the Holmenkollen 50 km. In 1914, he won by 22 minutes 39 seconds down to Elling Rønes. The following year, Bergendahl skied 21 minutes 36 seconds faster than second-placed Embret Mellesmo. He won by 17 minutes and 15 seconds down to Truls Braathen in 1912. The smallest winning margin from races held with individual start are the two seconds between winner Veikko Hakulinen and Pavel Kolchin in 1955. In mass starts, where the winning margins often are small, the smallest winning margin is a photo finish in 2015 where Sjur Røthe won ahead of Dario Cologna even though they finished in the same time.[1]

The longest winning time for 50 km in Holmenkollen is 5 hours 33 minutes 37 seconds, when Elling Rønes won in 1906. The shortest winning time is Sjur Røthe's time in 2015: 1:54.44,9.

Alexander Bolshunov is the youngest winner of the race, aged 22 years and 68 days when winning the 2019 edition.[citation needed]

Thorleif Haug has the most victories with six; in 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923 and 1924. Lauritz Bergendahl won five times; in 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915. Elling Rønes won four times; 1906, 1907, 1908 and 1916. After the Second World War, five skiers have won three times each: Veikko Hakulinen won in 1952 (Olympic Games), 1953 and 1955, Sverre Stensheim won in 1959, 1960 and 1961, Oddvar Brå won in 1975, 1979 and 1981, Thomas Wassberg won in 1980, 1982 and 1987, and Vegard Ulvang won in 1989, 1991 and 1992.

Multiple winners

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Thorleif Haug won the 50 km a record six times (1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923 og 1924).
Veikko Hakulinen is the first non-Norwegian to win the 50 km three times.

The following skiers have won the Holmenkollen 50 km at least twice.

Multiple winners of the Holmenkollen 50 km
Skier Total Editions
 Thorleif Haug (NOR) 6 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924
 Lauritz Bergendahl (NOR) 5 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915
 Elling Rønes (NOR) 4 1906, 1907, 1908, 1916
 Oddvar Brå (NOR) 3 1975, 1979, 1981
 Veikko Hakulinen (FIN) 3 1952, 1953, 1955
 Sverre Stensheim (NOR) 3 1959, 1960, 1961
 Vegard Ulvang (NOR) 3 1989, 1991, 1992
 Thomas Wassberg (SWE) 3 1980, 1982, 1987
 Alexander Bolshunov (RUS) 2 2019, 2020
 Paul Braaten (NOR) 2 1900, 1901
 Gerhard Grimmer (GDR) 2 1970, 1971
 Karl Hovelsen (NOR) 2 1902, 1903
 Nils Karlsson (SWE) 2 1947, 1951
 Petter Northug (NOR) 2 2010, 2011
 Alexey Prokurorov (RUS) 2 1993, 1998
 Assar Rönnlund (SWE) 2 1962, 1968
 Anders Södergren (SWE) 2 2006, 2008
 Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR) 2 2016, 2017
 Gunde Svan (SWE) 2 1986, 1990
 Arto Tiainen (FIN) 2 1964, 1965
 Pål Tyldum (NOR) 2 1969, 1972
 Sven Utterström (SWE) 2 1929, 1930
 Andrus Veerpalu (EST) 2 2003, 2005

Results

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The distance is 50 km unless otherwise noted. The 1888 50 km race was a part of Husebyrennet, but is included in this list for completeness reasons.

Date Course / technique Winner Second Third Type
7 February 1888 Norway Torjus Hemmestveit Norway Peder Eliassen Norway Nils Kamphaug Husebyrennet
1898 30 km Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
7 February 1900 30 km Norway Paul Braaten Norway Gustav Bye Norway Johs. Bentzen Holmenkollrennene
6 February 1901 30 km Norway Paul Braaten Norway Halvard Hansen Norway Thorvald Moestue Holmenkollrennene
5 February 1902 Norway Karl Hovelsen Norway Paul Braaten Norway Halvard Hansen Holmenkollrennene
4 February 1903 55 km[2] Norway Karl Hovelsen Norway Per Andreassen Norway Karl Sonerud Holmenkollrennene, the Nordic Games
10 February 1904 Norway Per Bakken Norway Per Andreassen Norway Otto Rønningen Holmenkollrennene
1905 Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
8 March 1906 Norway Elling Rønes Norway Helenus Bakken Norway Per Bakken Holmenkollrennene
28 February 1907 40 km Norway Elling Rønes Norway Jens Skjærbæk Norway Andreas Udbye Holmenkollrennene
20. February 1908 47.8 km Norway Elling Rønes Norway Olav Bjaaland Norway Jens Skjærbæk Holmenkollrennene
1909 Not held Holmenkollrennene
17 February 1910 Norway Lauritz Bergendahl Norway Truls Braathen Norway Arne Hallén Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1911 Norway Truls Braathen Norway Embret Mellesmo Norway Elling Rønes Holmenkollrennene
29 February 1912 Norway Lauritz Bergendahl Norway Truls Braathen Norway Andreas Vesterhaug Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1913 Norway Lauritz Bergendahl Norway Johan Kristoffersen Norway Embret Mellesmo Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1914 Norway Lauritz Bergendahl Norway Elling Rønes Finland Anders Brännkärr Holmenkollrennene
25 February 1915 Norway Lauritz Bergendahl Norway Embret Mellesmo Finland Anders Brännkärr Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1916 Norway Elling Rønes Norway Ingvar Langlien Norway Johan Skjærbæk Holmenkollrennene
22 February 1917 Norway Ingvar Langlien Norway Elling Rønes Norway Amund Vanvik Holmenkollrennene
21 February 1918 Norway Thorleif Haug Sweden G. Johanson Sweden Henning Isaksson Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1919 Norway Thorleif Haug Norway Ingvar Langlien Sweden Henning Isaksson Holmenkollrennene
19 February 1920 Norway Thorleif Haug Norway Johan Grøttumsbråten Sweden Torkel Persson Holmenkollrennene
17 February 1921 Norway Thorleif Haug Norway Thoralf Strømstad Norway Johan Grøttumsbråten Holmenkollrennene
23 February 1922 Finland Anton Collin Finland Tapani Niku Norway Hagbart Haakonsen Holmenkollrennene
22 February 1923 Norway Thorleif Haug Norway Harald Økern Norway Thoralf Strømstad Holmenkollrennene
21 February 1924 Norway Thorleif Haug Norway Ole Hegge Norway Jon Mårdalen Holmenkollrennene
1925 Cancelled due to lack of snow Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1926 Norway Olav Kjelbotn Norway Ole Hegge Norway Ole Stenen Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1927 Norway Henry Gjøslien Norway Ole Hegge Norway Lars Lørdahl Holmenkollrennene
29 February 1928 Finland Martti Lappalainen Norway Kristian Hovde Norway Hagbart Haakonsen Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1929 Sweden Sven Utterström Norway Arne Rustadstuen Sweden Per-Erik Hedlund Holmenkollrennene
3 March 1930 Sweden Sven Utterström Norway Arne Rustadstuen Finland Adiel Paananen 1930 World Championships
25 February 1931 Norway Ole Stenen Norway Kolbjørn Sevre Norway Oscar Aas Haugen Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1932 Norway Gjermund Muruåsen Norway Olav Lian Norway Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
1 March 1933 Norway Sigurd Vestad Norway Annar Ryen Norway Konrad Nordfjellmark Holmenkollrennene
5 March 1934 Finland Kalle Heikkinen Norway Lars Bergendahl Norway Trygve Brodahl Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1935 Norway Oscar Gjøslien Norway John Johnsen Norway Per Samuelshaug Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1936 Norway Per Sætermyrmoen Norway Andreas Hverven Finland Valmari Toikka[3] Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1937 Norway Per Samuelshaug Sweden Nils Englund Norway Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
7 March 1938 Finland Pekka Niemi Finland Pekka Vanninen Norway Oscar Gjøslien Holmenkollrennene
6 March 1939 Sweden Sven Edin Norway Lars Bergendahl Sweden Mauritz Brännström Holmenkollrennene
28 February 1940 Norway Lars Bergendahl Norway Annar Ryen Sweden Arthur Häggblad Holmenkollrennene
1941–1945 Not held due to World War II Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1946 Norway Arve Ulseth Norway Thorleif Vangen Norway Leif Haugen Holmenkollrennene
26 February 1947 Sweden Nils Karlsson Sweden Arthur Herrdin Norway Martin Jære Holmenkollrennene
3 March 1948 Sweden Harald Eriksson Norway Hallvard Eggset Sweden Lennart Berg Holmenkollrennene
2 March 1949 Sweden Nils Östensson Sweden Sigvard Jonsson Norway Harald Maartmann Holmenkollrennene
1 March 1950 Sweden Anders Törnqvist Norway Harald Maartmann Sweden Gunnar Karlsson Holmenkollrennene
24 February 1951 Sweden Nils Karlsson Finland Eero Kolehmainen Norway Magnar Estenstad Holmenkollrennene
20 February 1952 Finland Veikko Hakulinen Finland Eero Kolehmainen Norway Magnar Estenstad 1952 Winter Olympics
8 March 1952 Norway Magnar Estenstad Norway Edvin Landsem Norway Harald Maartmann Holmenkollrennet
28 February 1953 Finland Veikko Hakulinen Finland Martti Lautala Finland Arvo Viitanen Holmenkollrennet
6 March 1954 Norway Martin Stokken Sweden Sixten Jernberg Finland Eero Kolehmainen Holmenkollrennet
5 March 1955 Finland Veikko Hakulinen Soviet Union Pavel Kolchin Soviet Union Viktor Baranov Holmenkollrennet
25 February 1956 Finland Arvo Viitanen Norway Hallgeir Brenden Norway Erling Bjørn Holmenkollrennet
2 March 1957 Finland Eero Kolehmainen Finland Veikko Hakulinen Norway Martin Stokken Holmenkollrennet
15 March 1958 Soviet Union Pavel Kolchin Finland Eljas Koistinen Norway Hallgeir Brenden Holmenkollrennet
7 March 1959 Norway Sverre Stensheim Finland Eero Kolehmainen Finland Veikko Räsänen Holmenkollrennet
19 March 1960 Norway Sverre Stensheim Norway Oddmund Jensen Norway Ingmund Holtås Holmenkollrennet
11 March 1961 Norway Sverre Stensheim Norway Hallgeir Brenden Sweden Sture Grahn Holmenkollrennet
17 March 1962 Sweden Assar Rönnlund Norway Reidar Hjermstad Finland Raimo Hämälainen Holmenkollrennet
16 March 1963 Sweden Ragnar Persson Norway Einar Østby Norway Ole Ellefsæter Holmenkollrennet
14 March 1964 Finland Arto Tiainen Sweden Sixten Jernberg Norway Gjermund Eggen Holmenkollrennet
13 March 1965 Finland Arto Tiainen Norway Ole Ellefsæter Finland Raimo Hämälainen Holmenkollrennet
26 February 1966 Norway Gjermund Eggen Finland Arto Tiainen Finland Eero Mäntyranta 1966 World Championships
4 March 1967 Norway Ole Ellefsæter Finland Arto Tiainen Norway Odd Martinsen Holmenkollrennene
16 March 1968 Sweden Assar Rönnlund Norway Pål Tyldum Norway Gjermund Eggen Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1969 Norway Pål Tyldum Norway Johs. Harviken Norway Magne Myrmo Holmenkollrennene
14 March 1970 East Germany Gerhard Grimmer Norway Pål Tyldum Finland Hannu Taipale Holmenkollrennene
13 March 1971 East Germany Gerhard Grimmer Sweden Lars-Arne Bölling Sweden Lennart Pettersson Holmenkollrennene
11 March 1972 Norway Pål Tyldum Sweden Lars-Arne Bölling Norway Ole Ellefsæter Holmenkollrennene
17 March 1973 Finland Juha Mieto Norway Oddvar Brå Norway Pål Tyldum Holmenkollrennene
9 March 1974 Norway Magne Myrmo Norway Ivar Formo Finland Juha Mieto Holmenkollrennene
8 March 1975 Norway Oddvar Brå Norway Ivar Formo Norway Magne Myrmo Holmenkollrennene
13 March 1976 Sweden Sven-Åke Lundbäck Finland Juha Mieto Finland Arto Koivisto Holmenkollrennene
12 March 1977 Sweden Thomas Magnuson Norway Ivar Formo Finland Juha Mieto Holmenkollrennene
11 March 1978 Finland Matti Pitkänen Norway Magne Myrmo Finland Juhani Repo Holmenkollrennene
10 March 1979 Norway Oddvar Brå Norway Per Knut Aaland Sweden Thomas Wassberg Holmenkollrennene
15 March 1980 Sweden Thomas Wassberg Norway Per Knut Aaland Norway Jan Lindvall Holmenkollrennene
14 March 1981 Norway Oddvar Brå Soviet Union Alexander Zavyalov Norway Ove Aunli Holmenkollrennene
27 February 1982 Sweden Thomas Wassberg Soviet Union Yuriy Burlakov Norway Lars Erik Eriksen 1982 World Championships/World Cup
12 March 1983 Finland Asko Autio Norway Per Knut Aaland Sweden Gunde Svan World Cup
10 March 1984 Norway Tor Håkon Holte Soviet Union Vladimir Sakhnov Sweden Gunde Svan World Cup
16 March 1985 Norway Geir Holte Norway Arild Monsen Norway Per Knut Aaland Holmenkollrennene[4]
15 March 1986 Classic Sweden Gunde Svan Sweden Torgny Mogren Norway Vegard Ulvang World Cup
21 March 1987 Classic Sweden Thomas Wassberg Norway Per Knut Aaland Sweden Thomas Eriksson World Cup
19 March 1988 Freestyle Canada Pierre Harvey Italy Silvano Barco Italy Maurilio De Zolt World Cup
4 March 1989 Freestyle Norway Vegard Ulvang East Germany Holger Bauroth Sweden Torgny Mogren World Cup
17 March 1990 Freestyle Sweden Gunde Svan Sweden Torgny Mogren Italy Alfred Runggaldier World Cup, held at Vang
16 March 1991 Classic Norway Vegard Ulvang Finland Harri Kirvesniemi Norway Sture Sivertsen World Cup
14 March 1992 Classic Norway Vegard Ulvang Commonwealth of Independent States Mikhail Botvinov Czechoslovakia Luboš Buchta World Cup, held at Vang
13 March 1993 Classic Russia Alexey Prokurorov Norway Gudmund Skjeldal Norway Sture Sivertsen World Cup
1994 Not held (1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer)
11 February 1995 Classic Kazakhstan Vladimir Smirnov Russia Alexey Prokurorov Russia Mikhail Botvinov World Cup
16 March 1996 Classic Norway Erling Jevne Norway Krister Sørgård Sweden Anders Bergström World Cup
15 March 1997 Freestyle Italy Pietro Piller Cottrer Norway Tor-Arne Hetland Norway Bjørn Dæhlie World Cup
14 March 1998 Classic Russia Alexey Prokurorov Norway Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset Norway Bjørn Dæhlie World Cup
20 March 1999 Freestyle Austria Mikhail Botvinov Norway Bjørn Dæhlie Austria Christian Hoffmann World Cup
11 March 2000 Classic Finland Harri Kirvesniemi Russia Mikhail Ivanov Austria Mikhail Botvinov World Cup
10 March 2001 Classic Sweden Per Elofsson Norway Anders Aukland Norway Frode Estil World Cup
16 March 2002 Freestyle Norway Thomas Alsgaard Norway Kristen Skjeldal Italy Pietro Piller Cottrer World Cup
8 March 2003 Classic Estonia Andrus Veerpalu Norway Anders Aukland Russia Andrey Nutrikhin World Cup
28 February 2004 Freestyle Germany René Sommerfeldt Italy Fulvio Valbusa Czech Republic Lukáš Bauer World Cup
12 March 2005 Classic Estonia Andrus Veerpalu Germany Jens Filbrich Norway Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset World Cup
11 March 2006 Freestyle Sweden Anders Södergren Italy Giorgio Di Centa Germany Tom Reichelt World Cup
17 March 2007 Classic Norway Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset Germany Tobias Angerer Norway Frode Estil World Cup
8 March 2008 Freestyle Sweden Anders Södergren Czech Republic Lukáš Bauer Switzerland Remo Fischer World Cup
2009 Not held, reconstruction of the Holmenkollen National Arena
13 March 2010 Freestyle, mass start Norway Petter Northug Italy Pietro Piller Cottrer France Vincent Vittoz World Cup
6. March 2011 Freestyle, mass start Norway Petter Northug Russia Maxim Vylegzhanin Norway Tord Asle Gjerdalen 2011 World Championships
10 March 2012 Classic, mass start Norway Eldar Rønning Switzerland Dario Cologna Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby World Cup
16 March 2013 Freestyle, mass start Russia Alexander Legkov Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby Russia Ilia Chernousov World Cup
8 March 2014 Classic, mass start Sweden Daniel Rickardsson Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby Russia Alexander Legkov World Cup
14 March 2015 Freestyle, mass start Norway Sjur Røthe Switzerland Dario Cologna Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby World Cup
6 February 2016 Classic, mass start Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby Norway Niklas Dyrhaug Russia Maxim Vylegzhanin World Cup
11 March 2017 Classic, mass start Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby Finland Iivo Niskanen Russia Alexander Bessmertnykh World Cup
10 March 2018 Freestyle, mass start Switzerland Dario Cologna Norway Martin Johnsrud Sundby Russia Maxim Vylegzhanin World Cup
9 March 2019 Classic, mass start Russia Alexander Bolshunov Russia Maxim Vylegzhanin Russia Andrey Larkov World Cup
8 March 2020 Classic, mass start Russia Alexander Bolshunov Norway Simen Hegstad Krüger Norway Emil Iversen World Cup
6 March 2022 Classic, mass start Norway Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget Norway Sjur Røthe Norway Didrik Tønseth World Cup
11 March 2023 Freestyle, mass start Norway Simen Hegstad Krüger Norway Hans Christer Holund Norway Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget World Cup
10 March 2024 Classic, mass start Norway Johannes Høsflot Klæbo Norway Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget Norway Pål Golberg World Cup

See also

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Sources

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  • Jakob Vaage, Tom Kristensen: Holmenkollen – Historien og resultatene. De norske Bokklubbene, Stabekk 1992. ISBN 82-525-1678-5 (p. 191-205 og 247-259, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • Foreningen til Ski-Idrættens Fremme gjennem 50 år 1883-1933. Dybwad, Oslo 1933 (s. 32-34, 52, 54-86, 236-238, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • Erling Ranheim (red.): Norske skiløpere - Skihistorisk oppslagsverk i 5 bind - Østlandet Sør. Skiforlaget - Erling Ranheim, Oslo 1956 (p. 38-39 og 120, digitalised by Nasjonalbiblioteket)
  • FIS: Resultater (accessed 15 March 2015)

References

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  1. ^ "NRK: – Oi! Var jeg først, eller?". www.nrk.no. NRK. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ The Minneapolis journal: Big Carnival of Winter Sports at Holmenkollen - Results of the Events (p. 15, 21 February 1903, archived at Library of Congress)
  3. ^ From different sources referred to as Toikka, A. Toikka and V. Toikka, probably Valmari Toikka
  4. ^ 50 km did not have World Cup status this year