Norway Trail 2012 is over and ended up as a great success from the beginning to the end. 5 days of mushing in the mountains of Norway, in the region of Valdres. The two destinations, Lenningen and Beitostølen has been amazing partners. The mushers have been running their dogteams through great sunshine and strong wind. One of our main goals was to create the Norway-Trail family mood, and we definitely succeeded in that.
The staff did an incredible job. These multi tools and flexible persons, has been working up to 18 hours a day to create the event. Roger Leegaard said in his speech during the banquet that this race is a middle distance stage race in the rought Norwegian mountans. You will therefore mush stages of 40 to 50 kilometers, in sun, wind, snow, hills and all kinds of variations. If you choose to race this race, you have to train and prepare for this kind of race. He also highlighted the mushers happy attitude and good mood during the week.
The top three teams in Norway-Trail 2012. 2. Volkmar Stuber/Heini Winter, 1. Tom Andres 3. Bjørn Lyng Pedersen.
The sleds are ready for the great final stage in the center of Beitostølen.
Tom Andres starting his fift stage to cheers from the people of Beitostølen
Leela Guenin passing the finish line. She enjoyed a standing applause at the banquet for mushing the race with only four dogs and smiling more and more for each stage.
Todays stage, the first on on Beitostølen, was 41 kilometers. It was warm and sunny at the start and a lot of local people showed up to look at the show. Tom Andres increased his lead even more today, in front of Heini Winter and Winfred Kriegler.
Champagne at the podium
Lena Haugen at the top of the lift.
Today`s stage was the same trail as yesterday, but the weather was a lot better. The sun and the warm temperature slowed down the speed compared to yesterday and the competitors had a nice easter trip in the mountains of Valdres. Tom Andres increased his lead and is now 20 minutes in front of the Heini/Volkmar team. The Norwegian, Bjoern Lyng Pedersen, made the third place today and also the third in the total ranking.
Volkmar Stuber, Tom Andres and Bjørn Lyng Pedersen
Tom Andres, smiling his way through the trail.
Todays stage was 40 though kilometers in hard wind and snow. Most of the mushers did some adjustments to their plans and unlike yesterday, nearly all the teams trottled over the finish line. Tom Andres impressed with a total time of 1:45:12 and won this stage, with the Stuber/Winter team and Winfred Kriegler right behind. Yesterdays winner, Rudi Ropertz, finished eight but is still a strong competitor for the Norway-Trail Champion title. He is now on second place in total rank, less than six minutes behind Andres. The best Norwegian musher is Bjørn Lyng Pedersen on fourth place, still hunting for a place on the podium.
Heini Winter, Tom Andres` and Winfred Kriegler
Before The mushers can start the race, all dogs has to be examined by the veterinaty team. The team consists of 4 veterinarians and 1 assistant. Their mission is to examin all dogs before the race and then help the mushers to go through Norway-Trail without taking any risk when it comes to animal welfare. They will do a lot of massge during this week, in addition to other kind of dog care. The sleddogs loves this people and the veterinarians loves the dogs.
The veterinary team leader Dagmar Kriegler and the Norwegian chief veterinary examines one of the sleddogs
The first stage is over and Rudi Ropertz is in lead, 4 minutes in front of Tom (The king) Andres` and 5 minutes in front of Lutz Binzer.
The trail was hard and fast and the most of the mushers raced with less than 12 dogs.
The weather was sunny with a little bit snow in he air. The Norway-Trail staff did an amazing job in all ways, so everything was conducted according to plan.
The Norway-Trail atmosphere is even better than we dreamed of an the show goes on.
The staff are now gathered on lenningen, preparing the race. 30% of the mushers have arrived and it is a very good atmosphere at the stake-out.
Race Marshall, Roger Leegaard, has been inspecting trails today and he is ready to take over the lead of the race tomorrow. There is less snow than normal in the mountains. The race will take place with minor changes.
