Gorm Engen er nok den minst meritterte av kjørerne i teten. Så langt har det ikke hindret ham i å kjøre jevnt med de mer kjente kjørerne rundt ham.
Skrevet av: Niels Westphal/AM Bjøru (transl.)
Foto: Ole Johnny Myhrvold
Dato: 15.03.2011 17:49
Engen raced FL-1000 for the first time last year. Then he ended up being number nine after nice and steady mushing the whole way. This year he has set higher goals for himself, and so far it seems like it is working according to plan.
- The dogs look helathy and in good shape. Now it is all about playing the cards right, says cohabitant and handler, Erle Frantzen.
She has participated in Finnmarksløpet herself, but is now handling for Gorm. According to Erle it is a simple job.
- He is a man, you know, and quite simple, she laughs. He accepts being undressed and dressed, and he eats what is put in front of him. He is very disciplined, Erle says.
A little behind
When Finnmarksløpet talks to Erle, Gorm is sleeping at Neiden 2. He arrived there approx four hours after Roger Dahl, mushing a bit slower from Kirkenes to Neiden than the fastest.
- He is a bit behind now but a lot may happen. It is still far to go. But we respect the great racers ahead of us, says Erle Frantzen.
Two nine year olds
Still , Gorm, Erle and the second handler Kenneth hope to give the the competitors a fight all the way in to goal. Many of the dogs raced Finnmarksløpet last year also, so both them and Gorm have experience racing across Finnmark county. He still has the most dogs left in his team of all competitors. According to handler Erle he will leave Neiden 2 with 12 hunder.
- It is particulalry fun that we have two nine year old dogs that have been in the front of the team the whole way. The veterinarians do not believe us when we tell them that the dogs are nine. They are among the fittest in the team, says Erle Frantzen.