FL-1000: Hotel vacation in Kirkenes?

Storkanonene møter omleggingen av FL-1000 på høyst forskjellig vis. Men alle må forholde seg til at gamle kjøreplaner ikke lenger er sikre stikk.

The mandatory 16 hour rest has for many years been taken either in Tana or Neiden 1. In 2009 Bjørn Hugo Kristoffersen became historical when he for the first time drove all the way to Kirkenes before he took his 16 hours. In 2010 Ketil Reitan did the same. He caught up with his competitors when he came in to Varangerbotn and mixed with the front. He talked to them about hotel vacation in Kirkenes, soft beds and warm bath; a new element in Finnmarksløpet.

He planned to repeat it last year, but lost his ways and had to return to Neiden. Reitan has argued that many of the Iditarod mushers wait until they are half way before they take out their long rest. It has to work in Finmarksløpet too, says Reitan. But no one has followed his example.

This year’s Finnmarksløp has changed some of the track which should make some mushers thing afresh about running schedules. The leg between Neiden 1 and Kirkenes is now 75 km, while it used to be 125 km, and the other way around on return. This may give some mushers an incentive to take out 16 hours in Kirkenes.

When we look at how some are running, there are indications that some have burned their old race schedules. Several of the mushers expected to do well have rested allot during the first legs. Harald Tunheim has rested least; Rober Sørlie the most. What will happen in Tana?

Will there be anyone who takes out 5 or 6 hours her and then go directly to Kirkens for a long rest and bubble bath? Or will they still take out 16 hours in Neiden 1 and rest on a bed of straw?



Robert Sørlie takes it easy at Levajok