Skrevet av: Ann Helen Paulsen;translated by Natalia Undozerova
Dato: 11.03.2008 13:48
After a night in Finnmarksløpet's suite at Rica Hotel, smiling and vigorous Jan Vidar Dahle meets me at Studenthuset City. Tree-course meal and a night in the suite was above all expectations for the winner of the 8 dog class.
- It was like I was picked from the race up to the sky. To live at Rica Hotel and to be served a good meal was better than I have imagined.
Could not go to bed
- After dinner I took a bath and a glass of beer. A lot of hot water and the feeling of peace that appeared after arrival to Alta made me feel amazingly alive.
An opportunity not to spend a night in a hut at a camping cite after 50 miles on the sledge is a miracle. Neither Dahle nor his handler, Leif Wilhelmsen, could make themselves go to sleep this night.
- We were sitting half the night just looking out of the window. The view of Alta is fantastic, says Dahle with a smile.
To win the race is not hard
The winner is sure that the victory was due to the good team and tactical moving.
- I wasn't moving fast in the beginning, and because of that the dogs were not tired after the first part of the race. I had to slow down the dogs all the way to Levajok in order not to make them tired.
Dahle have a special command to calm his dogs down, and the obedient dogs followed it all the way to Levajok.
- I knew that if my dogs were in good shape in Levajok, I had better chances to win.
This year's race was not so hard for the musher and his dogs, in comparison with the previous one. Lots of training helped to create a good team.
The good team
Dahle has only 8 dogs in his kennel, and he desided to include all of them in his team this year.All of them returned uninjured.
-I have trained these dogs eight years and during this period they were not once injured. My team is perfect for 100 miles' distance, says he.
During the night in Alta handler Wilhelmsen has been outside several times to walk the dogs that still were not tired after the 50 miles' race.- They thought they were on training and were ready to run, says Dahle laughing.
Dahle comes from Båtsfjord. He has participated in Finnmarksløpet 6 times before, once in 100 miles' race. But he is not sure that he will participate in 14-dog class again.
- I am not sure I will participate in 1000km's race, but i will surely participate in Finnmarksløpet again, says Dahle with a smile.
Dahle also thanks Leif Wilhelmsen, his handler, for his wonderful work during the race.