Elisabeth Kristensen arriving in Alta as winner of the FL-junior and World Championship 2023.

When the weekend ebbed out, we could look back on a most entertaining and varied Sunday. Did you spend the day outside at not pay attention to the race? Not to worry. We will update you on the goings on of the Finnmark Race Sunday.

FL-junior: Everyone’s finished! 

Sara O. N. Lambela finished Sunday night and won the Red Lantern. With that, the FL-junior race and IFSS World Championship for juniors came to an end. Photo: Morten Broks

All the FL-junior mushers made it safely to the finish line. For a long time, there was excitement around who was going to win the junior class and the World Championship for juniors, however, Elisabeth Kristensen (15) from Alta managed to stay ahead of Eline Andrea Andersen (15) from Nannestad, who followed across the finish line 12 minutes later.

Mina Hykkerud finished 3rd after passing Ylva-li Næss on the final leg along the Alta River. They were followed by Katinka Houghton, Magnus Bekkos, Live Qvindesland Grønnectvet, Eva Hess and Sara Otelie Nyheim Lambela. A veritable crows of people; friends, family and supporters, had turned up downton Alta Sunday night to welcome the Red Lantern and last woman standing, Lambela, to Alta and the finish line. Well done you!

There will be an award ceremony for the junior mushers in the finish area on Monday 13 March at 11:00 CET. 

Eskil Knag arriving at Jergul. Photo: Steinar Vik

FL-600 – Still very close

All mushers in this class have finished their mandatory 3-hour rest in Kautokeino and headed on towards Jergul, where the first teams arrived in the morning hours. Many still rested there towards the end of the day.

Eskil Knag had arrived first to this checkpoint, followed by Ivar Johan Sørli, Harald Tunheim and Elisabeth Edland, though with just an hour time difference between the seven first teams, all bets are still open.

The FL-600 has a mandatory resting time of 22 hours to be taken before participants leave checkpoint Karasjok, where they must take out at least a 6-hour mandatory rest. The remaining resting time may be taken out at various checkpoints, but prior to Karasjok. Only when the mushers arrive in Karasjok do we know who is really in the lead in this class.

Harald Tunheim was the first musher to leave Jergul and head out towards Levajok. At the time of writing, he was followed by 15 other teams. This will be a long leg covering 136 kilometers, with a demanding trail at the last part of the leg heading towards Levajok mountain cabin.

FL-1200 – Long rest in Tana

Petter Karlsson arriving inTana Sunday night. Photo: Natalie Broomfield

Many teams of the FL-1200 lead pack are resting in Tana, however, there is one exception.

At the time of writing, no mushers in this class had taken out their mandatory 20-hour rest, which has to be taken between Jergul and Varangerbotn. The mandatory long rest used to be 16 hours, but this year it has increased to 20 hours.

Thomas Wærner and Kristoffer Halvorsen arrived first into the checkpoing and were followed by Steinar Kristensen, Petter Karlsson and Trine Lyrek. Steinar Kistensen was at the time of writing the only musher to have hit the trails again and head out of Neiden.

Kristensen is the father of FL-junior winner Elisabeth Kristensen, so there is no doubt that the Kristensen family of the Jotka mountain cabin keep excellent sleddogs.

From Tana, the leg continues with 101 kilometers, continuing along the Tana River and then across the mountain to Neiden mountain cabin.