Skrevet av: Niels Westphal / Transl. Liliana Monteiro
Dato: 12.03.2013 08:55
LATEST: The American Hugh Neff drove out from Kirkenes as a front leader, after only one brief stop at the checkpoint. Neff is originally from Chicago, but is currently living in Alaska and has run long-distance mushings since 2000.
The mushers are gathering now in Kirkenes. Robert Sørlie arrived at 3.38, followed closely by Thomas Wærner - who passed Sørlie during the night. Behind them came the mushers Aki Jalopy, Inger-Marie, Lynda Ola Skjerve Haaland and Sigrid Ekran.
The checkpoint in Kirkenes
Once again, Inger-Marie Haaland has been running fast, but needs to beware with Magne Storstein who is right before her for a few minutes. Both were faster than Trine Lyrek who yesterday, was in the frontline. Storstein and Haaland have been sledding for 25-30 minutes faster than Sørlie, Skjerve and Ekran.
None of the favourites have so far left the checkpoint and the mushers are yet to reveal our expectations. No one will tell how long they will rest here. Currently, there are none that have the desire to run out, and take unnecessary risks in the way down to Neiden.
-There's no way we are leaving first. We would be the ones tracing the track for the other mushers, said Robert Sørlie for NRK on Tuesday morning.
Robert Sørlie in Kirkenes