Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.
The 32nd Flag Day Run took place on Wednesday. The number of participants was about the same as in recent years, around 300. Beware of weather forecasters who promise dry weather. No sooner was the children’s race ready to start than the heavens opened, and the rain poured down through thin running shoes.
Of the 300 runners, around 70 were children, who ran in three different age groups. It is great fun to see how hard they try and how capable they are.
As always, the children show tremendous determination (photo: Bjørt Svabo – Hvirlan)
But it is the adults’ race that generates the most excitement at the Flag Day Run. This particular race carries the highest prestige to win and could perhaps be called a Grand Slam of Faroese running. There were no clear favourites to win, neither among the men nor the women.
The countdown is over, and the tactical game begins straight away. From left: 20 Ingi Johannesen, 40 Sam Vang, 58 Niels Poulsen, 9 Dánjal Dahl Ljósheim, 75 Jens R. Weihe, 31 Peter Jensen
Young Dánjal Dahl Ljósheim, Regin Thomsen and the Dane Peter Jensen were tipped to have the best chances among the men, but eyes were also on Sam Vang, who seemed to have improved somewhat towards the end of the Winter Series, and then you never know. The pace was not hard from the start, but these four soon broke away together with yet another “old dark horse” – Cecil Weihe.
Out on the second half, still five men in the group. Dánjal Dahl Ljósheim picks up the pace and Cecil Weihe is still going well in second place (photo: Bjørg Svabo – Hvirlan)
It was not until right near the end that the group broke up. It was Sam who surged and pushed, and only Regin Thomsen managed to follow. Over the last 50 metres Regin Thomsen showed that he has a true winner’s will of steel and a good sprint finish, and Sam Vang had to give in and settle for 2nd place, letting Regin Thomsen and Roysnið take their first ever win at the Flag Day Run. Dánjal Dahl Ljósheim and Peter Jensen likewise had a gruelling sprint for third place, and here it was Peter Jensen who was the stronger. Cecil followed well and came in shortly afterwards in fifth place.
The decision falls. Sam has given his all, but Regin had a drop of jet fuel left (photo: Absalon Hansen)
Top 10 men – open category 6.8
1. Regin Thomsen, Roysnið 24.59
2. Sam Vang, Bragdið 25.02
3. Peter Jensen, Bragdið 25.12
4. Dánjal Dahl Ljósheim, Hvirlan 25.13
5. Cecil Weihe, Bragdið 25.20
6. Hjalmar Sjóvará, Bragdið 26.05
7. Jákup Petur Eliassen 26.30
8. Jónálvur Jóhannesen 26.31
9. Henry Olsen, Bragdið 26.33
10. Niels Poulsen, Bragdið 26.43
Top three veteran men
1. Sam Vang, Bragdið 25.02
2. Cecil Weihe, Bragdið 25.20
3. Hjalmar Sjóvará, Bragdið 26.05
Top three super-veteran men
1. Jens R. Weihe, Frælsi 27.12
2. John Egholm, Hvirlan 28.19
3. Hjalti Gunnarstein, Bragdið 30.58
Although Rebekka Fuglø had won the Flag Day Run no fewer than seven times in a row before race day, it was by no means certain that the eighth would come. At any rate not easily. Swede Sara Vallin, who now lives in the Faroe Islands, is a strong runner, and she gave Rebekka tough opposition at the Faroese 10 km Championships last month. So this was set up for an exciting duel. And the two young Treysti women, Oddvør Josephsen and Maria Biskopstø, are also very strong runners. On top of that there was Rigmor N. Arge, who should of course never be underestimated.
Just as in the 10 km in Runavík, it was Rebekka who pushed hardest and opened up a sizeable gap. Only Sara Vallin just about managed to follow Rebekka. But out on the second of the two laps it began to get hard for Rebekka, who had to fight with everything she has learned to keep Sara behind her. The gap narrowed and narrowed, but Rebekka held on all the way to the finish, though by then there were only four seconds back to the strong-running Sara Vallin.
By Smyril Line, with 2–300 metres to the finish, nothing was decided yet. But Rebekka Fuglø managed to keep Sarah Vallin behind her and win her eighth (!!) consecutive Flag Day victory (photo: Bjørg Svabo – Hvirlan)
In third place came Rigmor N. Arge, who had put the two young women from Treysti in their place, relegating Maria Biskopstø to fourth place and Oddvør Josephsen to fifth place. Further back came Birna Mohr Joensen in sixth place.
Top 10 women – open category 6.8 km
1. Rebekka Fuglø, Treysti 26.23
2. Sara Vallin, Bragdið 26.27
3. Rigmor Napoleonsdóttir Arge, Hvirlan 27.57
4. Maria Biskopstø, Treysti 28.29
5. Oddvør Josephsen, Treysti 29.07
6. Birna Mohr Joensen, Hvirlan 30.01
7. Valborg H. Laksafoss 30.08
8. Sigrun Kallsoy Kristiansen, Bragdið 33.35
9. Tina Arvidsen, Sparta 33.39
10. Maria Schwartson 34.29
Top three veteran women
1. Rigmor Napoleonsdóttir Arge, Hvirlan 27.57
2. Birna Mohr Joensen, Hvirlan 30.01
3. Ester Simonsen 34.40
Top three super-veteran women
1. Tina Arvidsen, Sparta 33.39
2. Elisabeth Rasmussen, Bragdið 37.30
3. Anna Sofía Kristiansen, Bragdið 38.59
All the results can be seen HERE
Photos of all the winners are HERE
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