NORWAY TRAIL SERIES / NTS

The first-ever Geilo Trail Run took place this past weekend, serving as the final stage of the 2026 Norway Trail Series. With bright sun and clear skies, everything was set for a great day on the trails, delivering everything from decisive solo victories to intense podium battles. Following the earlier stages at Sognefjord and Jotunheimen, the fast-paced trails at Geilo determined the final NTS standings of the season.

GTR 55K: The Ultimate Endurance Test

Covering 55 kilometers with almost 1,500 meters of elevation gain, the GTR 55K served as the ultimate endurance test of the weekend. The course took runners across the high-altitude plateau, combining technical climbs, open trail sections, and a fast finish.

Entering the race as the pre-race favorite, Aasmund Kjøllmoen Steien set out to establish a high standard on the route from the start. Maintaining a strong and steady pace throughout, Steien finished 20 minutes clear of the field to take the victory in 4:27:29. Marcus Engebretsen ran a solid race to secure second place in 4:47:39, while Bernhard Flaschberger rounded out the men's podium in 4:56:24.

In the women's race, Sara-Rebekka Færø Linde delivered a commanding performance. She built a significant lead across the plateau, crossing the finish line nearly 40 minutes ahead of her competitors. The battle for second place was far tighter, with Marte Søreng Engen managing to hold off Evelina Bojadzic in the closing kilometers.

Men:

Aasmund Kjøllmoen Steien – 4:27:29
Marcus Engebretsen – 4:47:39
Bernhard Flaschberger– 4:56:24

Women:

Sara-Rebekka Færø Linde – 5:13:45
Marte Søreng Engen– 5:51:55
Evelina Bojadzic – 5:57:19

GTR 30K: The favorites delivered at the final stage

Measuring 30 kilometers with over 1000 meters of elevation gain, the GTR 30K offered a fast flowing mountain experience. The route challenged runners with steady high altitude climbing before opening up to fast runnable sections and a descent toward the finish.

Mari Wetterhus entered the race as a heavy favorite after her impressive victory on the 50K distance at Sognefjord Trail Run earlier in the season. Wetterhus lived up to expectations, delivering a strong performance to take the win in 2:49:44. Sandra Vestly Sirevåg kept the pressure on throughout the course to secure second place in 2:52:17, while Karoline Wisløff Rud completed the podium in 2:57:49.

The men's race featured a tight contest among series veterans. Ulrik Astrup Arnesen, fresh off his victory in the 21K at Jotunheimen Trail Run, proved his strength once again by taking the win in 2:21:03. He held off Espen Roll Karlsen, who finished just two minutes behind in 2:23:11. Håvard Tonheim, winner of the 27K at Sognefjord and third place finisher in the Jotunheimen Skyrace, secured third place in 2:28:53, capturing crucial points for the overall cup standing.

Men:

Ulrik Astrup Arnesen – 2:21:03
Espen Roll Karlsen – 2:23:11
Håvard Tonheim – 2:28:53

Women:

Mari Wetterhus – 2:49:44
Sandra Vestly Sirevåg – 2:52:17
Karoline Wisløff Rud – 2:57:49

GTR 16K: Dominant Performance by Both Winners

Covering 16 kilometers with over 550 meters of elevation gain, the GTR 16K served as a fast-paced mountain course. The route offered a mix of gentle trail sections, steady climbs up to the plateau, and an aggressive descent toward the finish.

Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg took a dominant victory in the men's race, setting an impressive pace from the start to build a 10-minute gap over the rest of the field, winning in 1:10:44. Sivert Laukli secured second place in 1:21:04, while Jo-Harald Færø finished third in 1:22:35.

In the women's race, Malin Solstrand Ludvigsen delivered an extraordinary performance to claim victory in 1:16:52. Pushing hard on both the climbs and flat sections, she built an 8-minute margin over second place and crossed the finish line as the second fastest runner overall across both fields. Thea Charlotte Knutsen finished second in 1:25:31, with Hilde Aasheim taking third in 1:29:55.

*Geilo Trail Run. Podium women’s and men’s 16K. Photo: Mads Mehus / Norway Trail Series.*

Men:

Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg – 1:10:44
Sivert Laukli – 1:21:04
Jo-Harald Færø – 1:22:35

Women:

Malin Solstrand Ludvigsen – 1:16:52
Thea Charlotte Knutsen – 1:25:31
Hilde Aasheim – 1:29:55

Highlights from race day

Segment Winners

While the battle for the overall podium gets much of the attention, trail racing requires a diverse set of skills to master the constantly changing terrain. To recognize different strengths across the field, whether it is pure climbing power, technical downhill speed, or flat out acceleration, the event included timed segments along the course. However, as the results show, our top overall athletes didn't just win their classes. They proved they truly have the complete package by largely sweeping the segment leaderboards as well!

Norrøna Sprint

In addition to the main course standings, runners battled for top speed on the timed Norrøna Sprint segment. The segment rewarded pure acceleration and power, producing an extraordinarily tight battle at the top.

In the men's category, Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg and Sivert Laukli tied for the fastest time, both crossing the segment in a rapid 1:19 (3:19 min/km). On the women's side, Malin Solstrand Ludvigsen matched their pace exactly, posting 1:19 to take the women's segment win and share the fastest time of the day across all participants.

Men:

Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg – 1:19 & Sivert Laukli– 1:19

3. Jonas Burse – 1:20

Women:

Malin Solstrand Ludvigsen – 1:19
Sandra Vestly Sirevåg – 1:28
Karoline Wisløff Rud – 1:31

226ERS Downhill

Plunging straight down the ski slope, the 226ERS Downhill segment challenged runners on both the 16K and 30K courses to let go of the brakes and commit to raw speed.

In the men's race, Ulrik Astrup Arnesen produced a masterclass in aggressive downhill running, flying down the slope in 2:32 (2:39 min/km) to take a clear victory. Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg followed in second with a sharp time of 2:45, while Mario Baltov rounded out the top three in 3:05.

The women's competition mirrored the tight battle at the front of the 30K. Mari Wetterhus clocked the fastest descent of the day in 3:13 (3:22 min/km), edging out Sandra Vestly Sirevåg by just three seconds (3:16). Karoline Wisløff Rud finished close behind in third with 3:18.

Men:

Ulrik Astrup Arnesen – 2:32
Styrk Hundseid Kvamsvåg – 2:45
Mario Baltov – 3:05

Women:

Mari Wetterhus – 3:13
Sandra Vestly Sirevåg – 3:16
Karoline Wisløff Rud – 3:18

Fjellsport Downhill

Exclusively featured on the grueling 55K ultra distance, the Fjellsport Downhill segment put leg strength and technical focus to the test late in the race.

In the men's field, Aasmund Kjøllmoen Steien put on a masterclass, crushing the descent in 2:26 (3:21 min/km) to take a comfortable victory. Håvard Helgesen secured second place with 2:50, while Carl Hauser and Marcus Engebretsen tied for third after both stopping the clock at 2:57.

On the women's side, Marte Søreng Engen proved fastest down the section, recording a strong win in 3:19 (4:34 min/km). Overall NTS champion Henriette Lien took second place in 3:32, with Martine Hoftun claiming third in 3:45.

*Geilo Trail Run. Photo: Håkon Mæland / Norway Trail Series.*

Men:

Aasmund Kjøllmoen Steien – 2:26
Håvard Helgesen – 2:50
Carl Hauser – 2:57
Marcus Engebretsen – 2:57

Women:

Marte Søreng Engen – 3:19
Henriette Lien – 3:32
Martine Hoftun – 3:45

Aclima Climb

Testing pure uphill power, the Aclima Climb segment forced runners to dig deep against gravity on the steep mountain ascent.

In the men's field, Ulrik Astrup Arnesen edged out Espen Roll Karlsen in an extremely close battle, taking the win by just one second with a time of 3:55 to Karlsen’s 3:56. Overall NTS champion Håvard Tonheim secured third place with a solid 4:07 effort.

On the women's side, Karoline Wisløff Rud proved to be the strongest climber of the day, setting a commanding pace to win the segment in 4:47. Anne-Sofie Pollestad claimed second place in 5:02, while Marte Søreng Engen rounded out the top three with a time of 5:06.

Men:

Ulrik Astrup Arnesen – 3:55
Espen Roll Karlsen – 3:56
Håvard Tonheim – 4:07

Women:

Karoline Wisløff Rud – 4:47
Anne-Sofie Pollestad – 5:02
Marte Søreng Engen – 5:06

La Sportiva Flow

The La Sportiva Flow segment rewarded runners who could maintain a fast, continuous stride through flowing terrain.

In the men's category, Espen Roll Karlsen set the pace with a winning time of 3:50 (3:53 min/km). Ulrik Astrup Arnesen followed closely behind in second with 3:52, while Håvard Tonheim and Sigurd Hulbak shared third place after both stopping the clock at 4:17.

In the women's field, Sandra Vestly Sirevåg proved fastest over the flowing section, taking top honors with a time of 4:23 (4:27 min/km). She held off Karoline Wisløff Rud, who secured second place just five seconds back in 4:28, while Mari Wetterhus claimed third with 4:45.

Men:

Espen Roll Karlsen – 3:50
Ulrik Astrup Arnesen – 3:52
Håvard Tonheim – 4:17 & Sigurd Hulbak – 4:17

Women:

Sandra Vestly Sirevåg – 4:23
Karoline Wisløff Rud – 4:28
Mari Wetterhus – 4:45

Norway Trail Series 2026: Overall Champions Crowned

The finale at Geilo marked the end of a fierce, season-long battle across three of Norway’s most spectacular trail destinations. To capture the overall Norway Trail Series crown, athletes had to prove their versatility, mastering the fjord trails of Sognefjord, the rugged high peaks of Jotunheimen, and the fast-paced plateaus at Geilo.

In the women's series, Henriette Lien took top honors with an impressive total of 6,015 points. Lien’s victory was built on unmatched consistency across all three stages, consistently delivering heavy points when it counted most. Mari Wetterhus claimed second overall with 4,500 points, powered by dominant stage victories both at Sognefjord (50K) and Geilo (30K). Sandra Vestly Sirevåg secured third place overall with 4,200 points after a steady series performance, capped off by her second-place finish on the 30K at Geilo.

*Henriette Lien from her perfomance at Jotunheimen Trail Run. Photo: Håkon Mæland.*

The men's title race showcased remarkable consistency from Håvard Tonheim, who captured the overall NTS trophy with 6,500 points. Tonheim was a constant threat at the front all season, claiming the win on the 27K at Sognefjord, taking third in the Jotunheimen Skyrace, and sealing his championship with another third-place finish on Geilo’s 30K. Sigurd Sollien Hulbak put together a strong series across the stages to earn second place overall with 5,265 points. Ulrik Astrup Arnesen completed the men's podium in third with 4,500 points, relying on high-scoring victories in both Jotunheimen (21K) and Geilo (30K).

*Geilo Trail Run. Håvard Tonheim the overall winner of the NTS Series. Photo: Mads Mehus / Norway Trail Series.*

Overall Women's Podium:

Henriette Lien (Drøbak-Frogn Idrettslag) – 6 015 pts
Mari Wetterhus (Svene IL) – 4 500 pts
Sandra Vestly Sirevåg – 4 200 pts

Overall Men's Podium:

Håvard Tonheim – 6 500 pts
Sigurd Sollien Hulbak – 5 265 pts
Ulrik Astrup Arnesen – 4 500 pts

Check out the full NTS rankings here

Thank You

Executing a new event like the first edition of the Geilo Trail Run across a large mountain area requires a massive collective effort, and we want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who made it happen. To our dedicated crew, your work behind the scenes, from early morning trail marking and bib distribution to staffing aid stations and maintaining safety coverage, was absolutely essential. We are equally grateful for the invaluable support of all our partners and contributors, whose involvement helped elevate the entire runner experience.

Finally, thank you to all the runners who made the trip to compete across the 16K, 30K, and 55K courses, as well as the young crushers who took part in the Kids Race. Putting a new race on the calendar is always a milestone, and we appreciate every single one of you for being part of it.

With the first season in the books and the Norway Trail Series champions crowned, planning for 2027 is already underway. We look forward to seeing you back on the trails next year!