When the long-distance races Reistadløpet and Summit 2 Senja occur on April 6 and 7, 2024, there will be more distances and an even more comprehensive range of events. This season, both races will also be part of the prestigious Ski Classics circuit. 

The organizer also points out that the opening race, Reistadløpet, is not reserved only for the elite. 

“Reistadløpet is Northern Norway’s largest and most traditional mass start event open to everyone, regardless of experience and level. It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced skier or a beginner – Reistadløpet has something to offer everyone, and we guarantee a unique experience for everyone who takes part,” says race director Leif Ketil Gamst. 

The race from Bardufoss to Setermoen will be held for the 62nd time in 2024. Senja 2 Summit, on the other hand, is being held for the second time: this winter was the first time the organizer of Reistadløpet ran such a double weekend. And the experience is tempting to repeat it. 

“It was a huge success, and it was particularly pleasing that we were voted the best event of the season by the Ski Classics skiers,” says Gamst.

They are building on that, and this year, they are again offering a double event weekend in spectacular surroundings. But they have also made some changes based on this year’s experience. 

The article continues below.

New distances in both races

For 2024, the race organizer offers new distances for both Reistadløpet from Bardufoss to Setermoen and Summit 2 Senja. 

Reistadløpet will now have two competitive distances: the Ski Classics Pro Tour at 50 kilometers and the traditional one at 35 kilometers.

“In Reistadløpet, we’re also going back to offering a competition class for the 35-kilometer race. This year, we only had a competition class in the 40-kilometer race that was part of Ski Classics, and we received some feedback on that. Among other things, some of the ‘old’ Reistad skiers, those who have raced 30-40 times, wanted the traditional route and didn’t want to do the recreational class,” explains race director Leif Ketil Gamst. 

Next winter, there will be two distances with competition classes, where the Ski Classics distance will be increased from 40 to 50 kilometers. 

At the same time, the distance in Summit 2 Senja will be cut by 10 kilometers and will now be 60 kilometers. However, the race will still run from Bardufoss to Finnsnes.

“This means that the skiers in the elite and Ski Classics Pro Tour classes will still cover 110 kilometers over two days,” Gamst points out. 

Watch the highlights from Summit 2 Senja 2023 (article continues below).

It opens up for more participants

The changes to the distances at Reistadløpet are also open for more participants. Due to the Norwegian Ski Association’s regulations, this winter’s 40-kilometer race was only available to skiers aged 17 and older. With a competition distance of 35 kilometers, the organizer can now lower the age limit to 15 years. 

“We hope this will boost the number of participants and make us more interesting for younger skiers,” says Gamst. 

There will also be recreational classes with and without timekeeping on the 35-kilometer course. These are open to skiers aged 15 and 13, respectively. 

On day two, the organizer is also opening for more participants: While Summit 2 Senja last winter was limited to the Ski Classics Pro Tour and elite skiers with an active FIS license and low points, this is expanded to allow anyone with an active FIS license to participate regardless of the number of points. There is a women’s and a men’s class, like the classes for the Pro teams. 

Registration for both race days and all distances is now open. 

Military and corporate competition

Reistadløpet also organizes a separate competition for the military. The distance is 35 kilometers, and participants choose whether to race in civilian or military equipment. 

Furthermore, the organizer is planning a form of corporate competition in Reistadløpet 35 kilometers to motivate companies to participate in the race. 

The format for this competition has yet to be finalized. Still, Gamst envisions a model that will encourage competition both within the organizations and externally between teams from different companies and businesses.

The double weekend in Norway is the penultimate Ski Classics Season XV stop. Below, you have a link to the complete calendar.

This is the calendar for Classics Season XV