Final race report

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Two former champions were at the start to try to be the first to become a double-winner of La Grande Odyssée savoie Mont Blanc. Radek Havrda the 2009 Champion and Petter Karlsson the 2008 champion.

If Petter had never been able to get the best out of his team, he nevertheless ran a great race, winning one stage. He's not so far from his 2008 level. Havrda told us at the finish line that this edition was tougher than last year and that he have been stronger. He won 2 stages and the Megeve Challenge. But it wasn't enough. Inauen has raised the bar higher.

Never a team has been so strong all along the race, winning 5 stages out of 9. With a team made only of dogs that he bred in his kennel, Inauen hasn't left to anybody else the role to lead the race. If others have won with a greater gap, Inauen is the first to lead the race from the first stage to the last one. But until the very last kilometer, Emil has never release the pressure on himself. Twice before, he was struggling for the lead  when an accident forced him to quit. Today he has accomplished his dream. He will be there for sure next year to defend his title and try to become the first double-winner of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc.

Jiri Vondrak, from Czech republic, has been the most impressive musher in the improvement he showed. We were waiting for a strong race from the 2008 5th musher, but not that strong. He has been getting higher and higher in the rankings stage after stage to end as winner of the last stage. If Havrda has confirmed his level, Vondrak has shown that there's not only one czech team to watch. If he would have been a little faster in the first part, he would have been a serious contender for the final victory.

Jo Are Brennodden takes the 5th place, a bit disappointed because he has not really been able to show the real quality of his dogs. But a 5th place among such a field of contenders is one thing many would have wish for but never get. He has remained the showman of the starting and finishing line.

After being the property of Arnt Ola Skjerve, the rookie of the year award will be given to Per Olav Gausereide. He has run a great second part of the race. After he broke his sled in the 9th stage, he was really willing to get a brand new one. He knew that the 2010 rookie of the year would receive a BEWE sled. He has pushed him for sure.

Jean-Philippe Pontier prooved once again that he remains the best french team. His move to Norway this summer will help him to keep on improving.

Daniele Rao, 12th of the 2009 edition, has run a great race this year. He takes a well deserved 8th place.

Due to Barbara Inauen, Team Swiss has put two teams in the Top 10. She did a serious and solid race with the B team.

Hat of to Jaco Alex Ulmann, whom in his third attempt finally became a La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc official finisher (veteran). A huge emotion traveled through the crowd of the staff, mushers and audience who welcomed his dogs and him at the finish line after 800 kilometers.

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2010 Antidoping control results # 03/09/2010 - 17:21

2010 Antidoping control results

All the antidoping tests done during La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc 2010 are negative....

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What's in an Iditarod sled ? # 03/01/2010 - 11:52

What's in an Iditarod sled ?

As the Iditarod is about to start, here is an interesting video that is unfolding what you find in an Iditarod sled....

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La Grande Odyssée Live from the sled # 02/23/2010 - 12:42

La Grande Odyssée Live from the sled

Jean-Philippe Pontier usually takes a small video camera during the stages of La grande Odyssee Savoie Mont Blanc....

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Hans Gatt wins the 2010 Yukon Quest # 02/19/2010 - 12:12

Hans Gatt wins the 2010 Yukon Quest

It's the fourth time that the musher from Whitehorse wins the race. He's now, along with Lance Mackey, a 4-time Yukon Quest Champion....

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Yukon Quest : Pierre-Antoine in the race # 02/10/2010 - 12:13

Yukon Quest : Pierre-Antoine in the race

The Swiss, a mutiple LGO veteran, is at the present time running the Yukon Quest....

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Sigrid Ekran is the 2010 Femundlopet champion # 02/08/2010 - 12:41

Sigrid Ekran is the 2010 Femundlopet champion

She reached Roros 26 minutes before another women Inger-Marie Haaland....

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The Femundlopet champion will be a women ! # 02/07/2010 - 10:17

The Femundlopet champion will be a women !

Sigrid Ekran and Inger Marie Haaland are struggling for the final victory....

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Femundlopet: LGO mushers at the start # 02/06/2010 - 20:54

Femundlopet: LGO mushers at the start

Here are some pictures of most of the LGO mushers at the start of the Femundlopet....

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Femund: Sigrid Ekran is leading after 400 km # 02/06/2010 - 20:33

Femund: Sigrid Ekran is leading after 400 km

After two thirds of the race, Ekran has a short 10 minutes lead on Sorlie....

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Inauen at the start of the Femundlopet 600 # 02/04/2010 - 17:15

Inauen at the start of the Femundlopet 600

But that's not Emil on the runners, it's his wife Barbara. Because of a disease he didn't manage to get cured of, the La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc 2010 Champion had ...

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Robert Sorlie will race the Femundlopet 2010 ! # 01/28/2010 - 17:02

Robert Sorlie will race the Femundlopet 2010 !

After he got wounded during the first stage of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc, his participation to the first main long distance race in Norway was not sure at all....

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Award Ceremony # 01/22/2010 - 11:48

Award Ceremony

Special awards were given during the award ceremony that closes La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc 2010....

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The arrival in video # 01/20/2010 - 17:02

The arrival in video

Experience the emotion of the teams crossing the finish line...

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Interview with Emil Inauen # 01/20/2010 - 14:25

Interview with Emil Inauen

...

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Emil Inauen is the 2010 Champion ! # 01/20/2010 - 13:26

Emil Inauen is the 2010 Champion !

He planned to win the race once during the first La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in 2005. Five years later, he has made it !...

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Stage 10b : Polar base - Lanslebourg 87 km # 01/20/2010 - 09:54

Stage 10b : Polar base - Lanslebourg 87 km

...

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Stage 10 a - polar base # 01/20/2010 - 00:13

Stage 10 a - polar base

...

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Vondrak takes the 3rd place # 01/19/2010 - 23:50

Vondrak takes the 3rd place

Finally he made it, after so many attempts, he is on the podium... before the last leg....

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Stage 10 a : Aussois - Polar base # 01/19/2010 - 17:20

Stage 10 a : Aussois - Polar base

...

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Jo Are BRENNODDEN

Jo Are
BRENNODDEN

Norway Norway [34 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009

Sponsors :

Prize list :
Finnmarkslopet 500 2005 7e
Finnmarkslopet 1000 2008 14e
La Grande Odyssée 2009 4th - friendliest musher

Biography :
Jo Are is from a succesful mushing familly. His father Kjell is one of the best long-distance mushers in Norway. His brother Ola has won the Femundlopet 500 in 2008. Jo Are took a great 4th place in La Grande Odyssee Savoie Mont Blanc 2009. He received also the friendliest musher award.

Per Olav GAUSEREIDE

Per Olav
GAUSEREIDE

Norway Norway [41 years old]

Finisher : 2010

Sponsors :

Prize list :
Scandream Finland 1999 2
Pirena Spain 2001 2
ESDRA EC Hamar 2007 1
IFSS WC Italy 2008 3
Alpentrail 2008 4

Biography :
Along with his wife Elisabeth Edland, Per Olav runs a successful kennel. Since 1992 Per Olav participates in Norwegian competitions and since 1998 in international competitions. This year will be his first participation in La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc.

Radek HAVRDA

Radek
HAVRDA

Czech Republic Czech Republic [36 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009, 2008

Sponsors : HUMI OUTDOOR - EURO HUSKY - VETERINÁR S.R.O.

Prize list :
Trophée Grande Odyssée 2007 1st
La Grande Odyssée 2008 4th
La Grande Odyssée 2009 1st

Biography :
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is Radek's main goal. He's working really hard on training to get ready. Which doesn't give him the time to learn english.
Radek is the reigning champion.

Barbara INAUEN

Barbara
INAUEN

Switzerland Switzerland [39 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009

Sponsors : Swiss Natural Professional Pet Food, BEWE Sleds, Virbac, omis, GLA-WEL, Energizer, SILVA, Dog Vitality, Dyck Carts, LOWA

Prize list :
Finnmarkslopet 500 2008 DNF
La Grande Odyssée 2009 11th

Biography :
A doctor, Barbara runs with her husband Emil a kennel of 40 alaskan huskies. Originally living in Switzerland, they have moved to Norway to get better training conditionsand to get closer from the main long-distance teams. Barbara has been a handler for Emil for years. For 3 years, she has started to race.

Petter KARLSSON

Petter
KARLSSON

Sweden Sweden [34 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009, 2008

Sponsors : STORUMAN ENERGI AB - SNOTROLL - EUKANUBA - SLUSSFORS TRANSPORT & SERVICE

Prize list :
LGO 2008 1st
Amundsen Race 2008 9th
LGO 2009 5th
Femundlopet 600 17th

Biography :
Petter runs a farm in the summer and a sleddog tour business in the winter. He develops a special breeding for La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc. His dogs are a mix of alaskan huskies and shorthaired pointers. La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is his main goal of the season.

Jean-Philippe PONTIER

Jean-Philippe
PONTIER

France France [36 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006

Sponsors : TONIVET - VETO ONLINE - DERMOSCENT

Prize list :
Femundlopet 600 2010 (21)
LGO 2010 (6)
LGO 2009 (6)
LGO 2008 (8)
LGO 2006 (8)
Champion de France 2004 mi-distance en illimité (12 chiens).
Trophée Haute Maurienne Vanoise 2007 (2)

Biography :
Jean-Philippe is at the present time the best french musher. He has moved to Norway to improve his training conditions.

Daniele RAO

Daniele
RAO

Italy Italy [47 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009

Sponsors :

Prize list :

Biography :
Daniele is back after a convincing try in the 2009 race. If you're a careful watcher you might have noticed that he runs La Grande Odyssée savoie Mont-Blanc in sneakers! He's back so that means that he has nort already freeze his toes!

Arnt Ola SKJERVE

Arnt Ola
SKJERVE

Norway Norway [27 years old]

Finisher : 2010

Sponsors :

Prize list :
Finnmarkslopet 500 2008 (3) Rookie of the Year
Gausdal Maraton 2009 - Champion
Femundlopet 400 2009 - Champion
Finnmarkslopet 500 2009 - Champion

Biography :
Arnt Ola is a much talented young musher from Norway. His 2008-2009 racing season has been impressive with 3 victories in major races. We'll have to watch him on this year's La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc and not only for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Jaco Alex ULMANN

Jaco Alex
ULMANN

Switzerland Switzerland [45 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2009

Sponsors : BOZITA'S ROBUR - CAMPINGAZ - SILVA - COLEMAN - HEAT - CIARA-SWISS - LEATHERMAN - ISOTHERM

Prize list :
Finnmarkslopet 500 2007 (39)
Finnmarkslopet 500 2008 (31)
La Grande Odyssée 2009 (13)

Biography :
Jaco Alex along with his wife Helga runs a sleddog activities business. He is well jnown from the LGO fans as he arrives to the styarting lines with all his dogs walking behing him.
He has run LGO in 2008 and 2009.

Jiri VONDRAK

Jiri
VONDRAK

Czech Republic Czech Republic [42 years old]

Finisher : 2010, 2008

Sponsors :

Prize list :
LGO 2008 (5)

Biography :
Jiri has been the second Czech musher to enter the race after Radek Havrda. He took the 5th place on his first attempt. He is coming back this year with greater goal for sure. Czechia is one of the main nation in mushing.