Fjestad's Insight

The farmer from Stange, Hedemark had an experience last spring that not many of us will be blessed with; a wolf taking up residence in his field for a beautiful spring day. During this year's competition, Stein Håvard Fjellstad will be a resident expert commentator with his keen insight. Jeff King was a commentator during the 2011 run, under the alias "Kings Corner", this year the keen observer from Stange will take the throne.

Stein Håvard Fjestad has over 40 years of experience in the field, and is one of Norway's most experienced competitors. As it usually does, he started with one dog and a pair of ski's, before the sled took him with storm. At one point he had over 70 dogs and worked in commercial tourism. Today he maintains a single sled and commands 17 adult and 9 one year old dogs.

Fjestad was the first non-American who participated in the Iditarod, as far back as in 1977. There he participated with "The great Norwegian walking team", where half of the dogs were over 10 and the other half was below 2 years of age, all eagerly provided by local hunters in Talkeetne, Alaska. He became number 21 out of 50 drivers, and beat Rick Mackey, who won the race a few years later.

The man from Hedemark have had many excellent runs in Finnmarksløpet over the last 3 decades, since he first participated in 1982. 15 successful runs under his belt, twice he's won the open class. -And I've had far too many second places, he comments with a grin. His last run was back in 2009, but next year he'll be on the startline again. If everything goes as planned.

Fjestad and two others have recived honors for starting Femundløpet in 1999. -We get taken off the shelf and dusted off everytime the event has an anniversery. They even made a song about It! -Though I've never won that race.

During this year's Finnmarksløp, the experienced sledracer will try to convey the experience and journey that the racers will go trough. At the same time he will try to comment and interpret the competition's strategies as they surface. Some anecdotes from a long life behind the sled are very likely to make an appearance as well.