Title: Sweden’s Jerry Ahrlin and Seraina Boner of Switzerland shine in Italy’s Marcialonga
Author: Mario
Last saved by: Edigrafica

Press Release 30^th January 2011 

AHRLIN (SWE) AND BONER (SUI) CLAIM VICTORY AT MARCIALONGA
NEW RECORDS SET AT THE NOTORIOUS ITALIAN SKI MARATHON

Third victory for the Swede and first “gold” for the Swiss
Both Ahrlin and Boner’s broke away soon after the start
Over 6,500 athletes took part in the 2011 Marcialonga

Sweden’s Jerry Ahrlin and Seraina Boner of Switzerland shine in Italy’s Marcialonga. 
The 33-year old skier from Valadalen and the Swiss athlete from Davos have won today the famous 70 km long distance race through the Fiemme and Fassa valleys. To be honest, they haven’t just won today’s Marcialonga, they both dominated the race and clearly showed their superiority from the very beginning.
Oskar Svaerd of Sweden and Stanislav Rezac of Czech Republic made up the rest of the male podium, while Sandra Hansson (SWE) went for silver in the female race, and Susanne Nystroem secured bronze.
“I was in great shape today”, Ahrlin said at the end of the race, “and I have to thank the skimen and service who did a fantastic job. It’s been a pretty perfect day.” 
Ahrlin’s perfect Marcialonga started quite soon, when, after a couple of kilometres from the start, he decided to take the lead along with countryman Oskar Svaerd. The Swedish duo kept an amazingly high pace for over 65 kilometres, and the rest of the competitors never kept up with them. Ahrlin and Svaerd reached together the bottom of the Cascata climb. Here the first increased his pace and Svaerd just let him go. Ahrlin eventually clocked 2h49’10” and set the new record for the 70 km course in classic technique. The Swede also celebrated his third Marcialonga victory (2007, 2009, 2011).
Switzerland’s Seraine Boner jumped in the front of the female group from the beginning and nobody ever challenged her. The Swiss eventually grabbed the gold medal and her first ever Marcialonga title. She is the first Swiss to win the Italian ski marathon, and today she also set a new record of 3h15’07”. 
Bronze medallist Rezac was the quickest to climb the 2,8 km Cascata stretch, and won the One Way Finish Climb award, as Italy’s Sabina Valbusa did in the female race.
The 45 km “light” race was won by Italy’s Antonella Confortola and Andrea Zattoni. 
Over 6,500 skiers took part in today’s race (the entries were 7200), the 38^th edition of the Marcialonga, and the last athletes are expected to cross the finish line tonight. The very last competitor will receive the same floral wreath as the winner did in the morning. Cause this is the spirit of the Italian event, everyone gets awarded, as Marcialonga belongs to everyone. 
Info: www.marcialonga.it 

Results

Men
1) Ahrlin Jerry (SWE) 02:49:10.10; 2) Svaerd Oskar (SWE) 02:49:38.00; 3) Rezac Stanislav (CZE) 02:50:38.00; 4) Livers Toni (SUI) 02:50:48.90; 5) Aukland Jorgen (NOR) 02:51:01.20; 6) Brink Joergen (SWE) 02:51:06.20; 7) Sinnes Svein Tore (NOR) 02:51:27.90; 8) Aukland Anders (NOR) 02:51:39.40; 9) Andreasson Rikard (SWE) 02:51:49.80; 10) Dammen Kjetil Hagtvedt (NOR) 02:52:13.80;

Ladies
1) Boner Seraina (SUI) 03:15:07.10; 2) Hansson Sandra (SWE) 03:16:26.30; 3) Nystroem Susanne (SWE) 03:16:58.80; 4) Hansson Jenny (SWE) 03:22:20.50; 5) Valbusa Sabina (ITA) 03:26:53.80; 6) Lintzen Nina (SWE) 03:31:24.10; 7) Svendsen Sara (NOR) 03:31:28.20; 8) Ruud Astrid (NOR) 03:36:55.50; 9) Grepperud Ellen (NOR) 03:40:26.30; 10) Skari Hege (NOR) 03:41:20.70

Marcialonga Light
Men
1) Zattoni Andrea (ITA) 01:52:30.60; 2) Seifert Benjamin (GER) 01:56:38.80; 3) Vaksdal Fridtjof (NOR) 02:04:05.40; 4) Bjerkrheim Kjetil Andre (NOR) 02:05:54.10; 5) Betta Matteo (ITA) 02:13:42.10; 6) Muller Marco (ITA) 02:14:00.50; 7) Cordoni Stefano (ITA) 02:15:14.10; 8) Venturelli Christian (ITA) 02:18:00.80; 9) Defrancesco Mathias (ITA) 02:20:00.50; 10) Eriksson Ludvig (SWE) 02:21:39.00

Ladies
1) Confortola Antonella (ITA) 02:07:55.60; 2) Colnaghi Calissoni Laura (ITA) 02:36:22.70; 3) Nordvik-Hiller Monica Diana (NOR) 02:47:59.70; 4) Muller Antonella (ITA) 02:49:59.40; 5) Bolstad Hilde (NOR) 02:57:05.70; 6) Zanet Valentina (ITA) 03:01:48.10; 7) Bolstad Randi (NOR) 03:05:15.80; 8) Marcolini Morena (ITA) 03:08:20.30; 9) Hjorth Siri Solvang (NOR) 03:09:33.70; 10) Engevik Hanne (NOR) 03:14:43.00