50 kilometres, Men

Thirty-six skiers from 11 countries started in the longest cross country race, which was run under temperatures varying from – 2 to + 3 C.°, on a course with some icy stretches. The conditions were a little difficult to find the right ski wax. Jan·Svatoš of Czechoslovakia, wearing start number two, started at precisely 8:02 in the morning, with the skiers going off at one minute intervals. The course had an elevation change of 380 meters.

Sweden entered a strong team led by the last two World Champions at the distance: Elis Wiklund (1934) and Nils Englund (1935). In addition they had the silver medalist in 18 km. from Lake Placid, Axel Wikström, who was expected to be the early leader with his start number 4. Finland’s best card was thought to be Klaes Karppinen, winner over 18 km. and silver medalist in the 50 km. at the previous year’s World Championships. Norway had a team without big stars, but had faith in 30-year old Per Samuelshaug, his best performance at the distance being a 3rd place in Holmenkollen in 1935.

The Swedes took an early command in the competition. Elis Wiklund could control his competitors from his late start number 37, and of the others, only Klaes Karppinen was in medal contention in the first part of the race. At 24 km. the Swedish quartet was in front, Wiklund having a 2:20 lead over Englund, followed by Wikström and Hjalmar Bergström. The young Norwegian Arne Tuft was a distant 5th, with Karppinen 20 seconds behind. In the last half of the race Wiklund increased his lead to 5 minutes, then faded a little over the last 5 kilometers but won by a comfortable margin, over three minutes ahead of the fastest finisher, Wikström, who passed Englund during the last part of the race. Bergström in 4th completed a sweep of the top four places for Sweden, a repetition of the glorious Swedish 50 km in St. Moritz eight years earlier.