English summary

Summary of what happened March 10. to March 11.

Dag Torulf the first to reach the finish line (10.03.2003 author: Audur Olafsdottir/Niels Westphal)

Dag Torulf Olsen won Finnmarksløpet in limited class and became a Norwegean champion in dog slade racing. He arrived at 15:57. Only two minuets later arrived Bjørnar Hansen Østigård. - I have no energy left, said the exhausted but happy champion. His goal was to win the race and to make a new record in time. Both goales were completed, but at the same time he decided that this race might be his last.

Dag Torulf and Bjørnar Hansen, who arrived second, followed each other and leaded the race from Suossjavre to Alta. It was only when Bjørnar had to stop and take one of his dogs in his slade just a few kilometres from the finish line that Dag Torulf had a confirm leadership. - One of the leading dogs was more interested in visiting the inhabitants in Sorrisniva than to run to the finish line. That is the reason why I had to stop and put the dog in the slade, comments Bjørnar disappointed. He too has decided not to participate in the dog slade race next year. - I use about 20-30 hours a week to train the dogs, so now I am ready to change priorities, he says.

Winner Dag Torulf Olsen (left) and number two Bjørnar Hansen Østigård

The first woman to reach the finish line (Author: Stig-Martin Arctander 11/03/2003)

On tuesday morning at 06:51 arrived Katy Meier the finish line in limited class. She is the first woman and rookie (newbeginner) to finish the race and and ended up in the seventh place. As such, she became the best rookie (newbeginner) in the race. The weather was very bad from Jotka, the last checkpoint to, to Alta as the wind blew straight in her face, which made it very difficult for her to "drive" the slade. With the storm in her face, Katy questioned herself what in the world she was doing. - It was a very special experience, she said. But she handled it with style and made a personal victory in arriving, while her goal was to make it through the race and everything else was a bonus.

She was very satisfied with her dogs instinct, especially with her leader dogs. She wanted to thank Robert Sørlie who had sold her three dogs. She is very positiv about their future as racing dogs and has already decided to come back and race next year.

She also wanted to thank Stein Håvard Fjested for the dogs she got from him.

Katy Meyer - first women to finish the 2003 Finnmarkslop (500 km)

The youngest participant has reached the finish line (Author: Elisabeth Andersen, 11/03/2003)

Exhausted but happy! That is what the youngest participant, Ida Karlstøm (17), was when she arrived the finish line in Alta after 500 difficult kilometres. She will turn 18 in three days time, so she has two good reasons to celebrate.

Her goal was to arrive to the finish line at a better time than her father did, who, at the time, was number 15 in the 500 km. limited class race. Her goal came true as she arrived at 10.23, in 10th place. Her father says that Ida is more experienced dog sled driver than he is, and he think it is great that her oldest daughter did better than he did. Her mother and two sisters were at the finish line when Ida came in.

The Karlstrøm family will celebrate her 18 years birthday next friday with a fancy dinner in Alta before they hed to Finnmarks College in Alta, where the Mushers pub will be located.

Foto: Stig-Martin Arktander

Car accident without injuries (Author: Elisabeth Andersen, 11/03/2003)

No persons were injured in a car accident nearby Karasjok today, when one of the cars that follow the race had problems on the icy high way.

The car was on its way from Karasjok to Suossjavre when it had a fling and stopped in the middle of the highway. A truck, which came from the opposite direction, drove off the road to prevent a major accident. The truck had a fling and was, at the end, half way out of the road and with the other half across the high way.

The drivers were not injured and both cars are driveable. The road on this area is extremely icy.