Arnt-Ola Skjerve leaving Alta

Arnt Ola Skjerve came to win. He's the reigning champion and is out of a great Femundlopet 400 where he was runner-up. Elisabeth Edland came to win. She wants a second title after her victory in 2007. Ole Wingren came to win. That's the only way he could do better than his son who is last year Finnmarkslopet 500 runner up behind... Arnt Ola.

Ole Wingren runs a sleddog tour business  in the Levi area in Finland. This doesn't leave him a lot of time to run his racing team. He did 2000 km of training before the race. This could seem a bit short but we'll see that he seems to know what he is doing.

Ole Wingren, one kilometer after the start in Alta

Among the top 5, Ole is the one who gave the most rest compare to his running time: 39%. 20 hours of rest for 30 hours on the trail. He has been 4 times out of 7 the fastest between two checkpoints. The finnish took the lead in Karasjok, about the half-race, and we'll not loose it. He showed a great intelligence. He prefered to drop tired or wounded dogs and always ran the fittest team possible. He arrived in Alta with 5 healthy dogs compare to his opponents 7-dogs team. Good choices at key moments is what it takes to win. Elisabeth Edland who was 2nd when she left Jergul, the last checkpoint where mushers take rest, lost a lot of time because of one her dog. At the end of the race, many short teams go faster than bigger ones but less fit.

Arnt Ola on the frozen Karasjoka river

Arnt Ola Skjerve has tried everything as usual. He finished with the fastest time on the last leg and with a strong and healthy team. Those who've been there in the finish line have been able to witness the healthy and ggod looking team he brought there. Of course as the reigning champion of the Femundlopet 400 and the Finnmarkslopet 500, Arnt Ola could be disappointed. But taking 2 second places in the same year in the very competitive 8 dog class is a really good achievement and tell the quality of his dogs and dog care. Especially as his kennel is really young. As Ole Wingren is from Finland, Arnt Ola won the coveted norwegian champion title. His 9th place in La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc this year showed that if he's got a tremendous 8 dog team, he might not already have enough depth in his team to be really competitive in the 14 dog class of La Grande Odyssée or Finnmarkslopet 1000.

Arnt Ola interviewed by Hans-Petter Dalby on the finish line

Congratulations to Elisabeth edland who took a very good 5th place. She's been a maijn contender to Wingren until the last checkpoint but a wounded dog in her team made her lose a lot of time on the last leg, dropping from 2nd to 5th.

Ole Wingren wins the Finnmarkslopet 500 2010

This race confirms the arrival of a new generation of ambitious young mushers. Jørn Sødahl Kvam  takes a great 3rd place with the same dogs that led his brother, Svein Sødahl Kvam, to the victory in the Femundlopet 400 one month ago. The young Aila Emilie Sarre showed a real maturity to grab the 4th place by making a bold move., when in Karasjok she took a short rest jumping from 16th place to 4th. Last but not least, Øyvind Nordahl Næss takes the 5th place bringing his full team to to Alta. His two leaders, imported from Alaska, are well known by mushing fans : Handsome, lditarod  golden winner with Lance mackey and Uconn, q4-time Iditarod veteran with jeff King.

Some of those bold upcoming starts could whow up soon on La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc! To be continued...

photos: Thibaut Branquart