Karlsson leads Swedish one-two in first ever women's classic 50km

Frida Karlsson led the way from Ebba Andersson as Sweden celebrated a one-two in the first ever women's 50 kilometres cross country ski World Cup race in classic style on Saturday in Oslo.

Karlsson broke a leader group at the famed Holmenkollen ski centre after 30km to triumph in 2 hours 20 minutes 20.3 seconds for an 11th career victory.

Andersson was 1:19.3 adrift and Germany's Katharina Hennig won a sprint for third, another 5.9 seconds back. American World Cup leader Jessica Diggins was 11th, more than four minutes off the pace.

"It was a lot of fun. I worked so hard to get the gap," Karlsson said. "I had ice in my stomach as we say in Sweden," she added in reference to her cool composure during the race.

The first women's 50km came last year in Oslo, then in freestyle, after a decision that men and women would compete over the same distance at World Cup weekends. The 50km are only contested at the Norwegian venue.

The men's race is on Sunday, and Nordic combined skiers and ski jumpers have also gathered at the Holmenkollen for weekend World Cup events.