06:45 in Kansas City. The sun is just coming up and in Sweden, the women are on their second leg (I think). I've just fired up the live streaming audio coverage and am beginning to post live updates.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003

Answers

Whoops. Actually, we are just into the first leg. Waiting for runners at the fourth control.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

06:49 in KC and lots of women are reaching the fourth control. IKHP is first with 256 (Swiss O' team) and 312 Naerpes OK in 2nd and 3rd. But, as I said, they're just leading a pack, they haven't opened up a lead.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Halden and IKHP are in the lead at the next control and it seems like there are a lot of runners together. I've also just heard that Sanna is running the 3rd leg for IF Thor 2 rather than the first leg for IF Thor 3. Sanna is our favorite runner in this race, so I'm going to have to see if I can confirm what leg/team she's running for.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

I can't quite figure out which leg Sanna is running, but the most reliable info I've got is the third leg for IF Thor 2.

I also just took a look at the weather in Sweden. Right now it is nice -- partly cloud and 9 C, perfect for running.

At the next update control the Finland club, Kalevan Rasti is in the lead.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

With a bit left on the first leg the relay is still together. At the last update, there were 100 teams within just over two minutes of the lead.

Think about that -- 200 people is probably about as many as were at the last national meet I went to in NY. 200 people coming in and punching a control and leaving in just over two minutes. What a crowd!

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

The leader -- Kalevan Rasti -- just passed under the powerline and is on the way to the first exchange. The runner for KR is Annu Annus from Estonia. Halden was just behind.

Kirsi Bostrom is the next runner for KR.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

You can get a web cam picture of the finish chute that automatically updates every minute or so.

http://www.alternativet.nu/index_trimmed.asp

click on the picture and it will open a new window that updates automatically.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Two of the favorite teams -- Baekkelaget SK from Norway and Tampereen Pyrinto from Finland.

Annu says she had a very good race, she ran quite well but had some little mistakes. She says the terrain was easy. She didn't see any controls that weren't hers. She stayed in the top ten the whole time. Annu is speaking in English and speaks very good English, I'd have to say (a nice accent, too).

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Lots of running, but also some "risig" forest so there were lots of elephant tracks. She saw a lot of people making mistakes.

Women who is a junior who finished close to the lead (I didn't get the name). Elin something.

At the first control for the second leg, there is a single line with Halden, Lynx, KR, Halden 2, Sodertalje Nykvarn in the first thirty seconds, then teams 129, 4, and so on...

The announcer at the first control noted that the runners are in a long line, running fast.

It sounds like the race is beginning to split up a bit more than it did on the first leg.

The speaker has begun playing some quite annoying music. I wonder, who picks the music at Tio Mila?

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Still on the second leg, at the next radio report, the top four teams are Halden, OK 77 from Finland, KR and IKHP. I think the Swiss O' Team was the next team. Also, the German National Team is up in the top ten.

IKHP's runner is Anna Envall, who I know a bit. So, I'll be hoping Anna has a great race.

The race is definetly splitting up a bit, but there are still probably 30-40 teams within two minutes.

I'll take a bit of a break now -- go make some breakfast.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Still on the second leg, now 15 teams are in the first two minutes. No question the race is splitting up -- the cream is rising to the top.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

They are running the third leg now.

Kajsa Nilsson ran the second leg for Halden and had a few comments after her run. "Typical Tio Mila, lots to read, relativly easy if you took it easy."

Halden SK has three (!) teams in the top 20 at this point.

The third leg is just 4.3 km and has no forking. Halden is in the lead at the first control and seems to have a gap. Ragnhild Bente Andersen is running this leg for Halden. She was one of the absolute best in the world a few years ago.

If I heard correctly, there is a small group of four runners together about a minute back of Halden.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Still on the third leg and Halden must have made a small mistake because there is now a small group (maybe 4-5 teams) within 20 seconds of Halden. They're close enough that they can see Halden. One of those teams is IKHP with Anna Envall.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

The top fourth leg runners have just started their leg (5-5.2 km). Halden was in the lead, but there are clearly a number of teams close enough to make for a very intersting race. Turun Sunnista$&# -- aka TuSu -- has Vroni Konig Salmi and Simone Luder on the last two legs. If they are close to the lead (and they are), they've got a very good chance to make a race of it. I think Halden has Maria Hoffman and Heather Munro.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

They just interviewed Lena Eliasson (IKHP). Lena brought IKHP to second place. The last two runners are Karin Hellman and Anntte Gransted (another really strong team). The announcer mentioned that it looked like Lena might not be able to run. "I turned my ankle last week, but I was able to run by Wednesday. I tape it and it is ok."

"Karin Hellan is in good form, she's strong."

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

On the fourth leg. The main speaker just noted that "now things are happening" and he turned then turned to another announcer out in the forest. That announcer said that Halden was in the lead with ... and then the internet/streaming audio sort of blipped and skipped. So, I can't exactly tell what happened. But, I think Halden is in the lead and the teams are splitting a bit.

Another report just came in with Halden, Tampereen Pyrinto and KR together and a bit in the lead. Another team just came through..IKP and Fredrikstad. Now, Tullinge comes through with the Swiss O' Team just behind. And, TuSu and Nydalen are coming soon.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Sanna's time on the third leg just went up on the results. She went out for IF Thor 2 in 109th place and finished in 95th. Good run. Her time was 28:36 (the absolute best times were just under 25).

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Ten teams passed the latest control (maybe 5-6 minutes from the end of the fourth leg) within 2:25. Tampereen Pyrinto is in the lead.

My old club, IFK Lidingo, has now moved up to 11th.

Another team looking good is Tullinge. Tullinge's last runner is another friend of mine -- Tina Junegaard (she ran for IFK Lidingo back when I lived in Stockholm). Tina lives in Sweden but must have some sort of dual citizenship because she ran the 2001 WOC for Estonia.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Halden in the lead at the end of the fourth leg. Heather Munro is going out for the last leg for Halden. The last leg is 8.4-8.5 km.

What happened to TP? They haven't shown up at the warning control.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

1:45 after IKHP, KR and TuSu are together at the last control. I think TP has also gone through 1:06 behind Halden.

The last leg could get interesting.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

They interviewed Sofia Karlsson who ran the 4th leg for Tullinge. Sofia went out in 7th and finished 5th. Sofia is just 20 years old.

"It went well. I saw some people sometimes....Tina [the last leg runner] is a good runner, we hope she doesn't boom."

Another report just came in from the forest and there are a number of teams within 1:40 of the top teams. But, the top three teams Halden, TuSu and someother team I didn't catch, seem to be a bit ahead. The announcer was impressed with Simone Luder's pace (for TuSu).

The announcers are talking about how tough some of the controls look on the map for the last leg.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

I sent an email greeting to the speaker which they just read. Cool! I sent the greeting to our favorite teams IF Thor 2 (with Sanna) and Tampereen Pyrinto 3 (with Terhi). I hope folks at the race heard the greeting.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Three teams together at the 7th control on the last leg. The reporters in the forest are impressed with Simone Luders' stride.

The three in the lead -- Halden, TuSu and TP -- are ahead by...about two minutes with Fredrikstad, IKHP and Tullinge next. Fredrikstad is apparently a team with all runners from the club originally (no runners who started in other clubs and then moved to the club). That's a bit unusual for a top team these days.

Nydalen came through and OK 77 just made a small boom -- maybe 15 seconds.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

Tullinge is disqualified! Sofia Karlsson skipped a control. Bummer.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

About two kilometers left at the next report. It looks like the race is going faster than expected. The winning teams will finis about half an hour sooner than the organizers expected.

For what it is worth, the music selection is a bit better recently.

Halden and TP are at the control, but no sign of Simone Luder and TuSu.

Now Simone shows up. She's dropped back 23 seconds behind the leaders. That is still close enough to win.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

The next two controls are fairly easy (one is a boulder "as big as a house"), but then there are two tough controls on the side of hills that could be missed.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

We should see them in about one minute.

Halden just punches with TP. TuSu is seven meters behind.

The next report is at a road crossing. Then they'll be at the warning control. After the road crossing there is one forked control. So, even after the crossing there is a chance for booms.

At the road crossing....

....We see them...Simone is pushing and is opening a small lead by increasing the pace...

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

What will happen?

TuSU and TP are together!

Simone is leading at the last control.

Halden is off the pace. They won't win.

Simone Luder and Liisa Antila.

Simone and TuSu win. TP is second and Halden 3rd.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

The winning winners ran 6 minutes per Km for the last leg. That is fast.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.

The men's race starts in about three hours at 12:30 p.m. CDT. I'll be back for that race.

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 26, 2003.