Skrevet av: Erlend R. Strand translated by Thibaut L.
Dato: 09.03.2009 12:29
The Finnmarkslope has always been fascinating to Steinar Kristensen. This year he is on the sledge for the first time.
Kristense has seen the race for a very long time from the sideline between the helpers of May-Conny Johansen. This time he is on the start line himself with his own dogs. -Super! But what a job!, he shouts when he arrived at the checkpoint in Jergul. All the equipment has to be on the sledge and this is checked on each checkpoint. - It would be a tragedy to be unattended and to forget something, he says while he is packing everything together. Plus there are a lot of sledge parts (in case of destruction) for the sledge that can be taken out of the depot on the checkpoints. This time he can always fall back on his concurrent Ole Sigleif Hohansen to borrow some parts for his sledge. - There is a very good ambiance between the drivers. They are very great people, he comments.
His first ambition was to complete the race. Now everything goes all right, he can think of competing for the best place. It is almost the end of the race now, he is ready to fight. Even though Finnmarksløpe has always fascinated him, and everything went super this year, he is not sure to be in next year's edition. - There is a lot of work behind being into the race. With another job and family life, it is a big challenge.
Today Kristensen runs a mountain hut in Jotka, and his family runs a scooter shop in Alta . He has also much help from his family, with his uncle and his brother as helpers. - Scooters are a daily business, a tool. With the dogs you have a complete different freedom, you don't need to look behind your shoulders, he laughs. But now he has to look behind his shoulders, to see if Sven Stabekk is following him. Kristensen started from Jergul at 11:47am and Stabekk only 5 minutes behind