Skrevet av: Ingrid Pedersen/Ingunn Vistnes
Dato: 12.03.2004 10:06
Our expert commentator Robert Sørlie points out that the race of this year shows exactly what the Finnmarksløpet Race is all about: The unpredictable, where everything can happen. - If you want to win the Finnmarksløpet, you have to handle it all, from mild weather and wet snow to extreme temperatures and continuous blizzards. These are the characteristics of the sport and the winner has to handle all of this, Sørlie says.
Robert Sørlie believes that we can announce Bjørnar Andersen as the winner if Bjørnar manages to keep a good distance to his competitors on the leg to Skoganvarre. At Skoganvarre, there's the 8-hour mandatory rest. The musher who leaves Skoganvarre with a long lead to the second musher can be fairly sure of the National Champion-title and the ATV.
- Bjørnar has six dogs left and is probably extremely worried that anything should happen to them. Still, he is the musher who has rested the most by far and who has kept the highest speed. This is what long distance racing is all about. Drive fast, rest sufficiently, and handle the unexpected that might occur on your way. I believe that Bjørnar will be hard to beat if he handles the leg over the mountains to Skoganvarre, Sørlie says, who didn't believe that his nephew would win ahead of the race. He was betting on Bjørnar being number four.
 Frode Holten, Røros |
 Bjørnar Andersen, Oslo |
When it comes to who will rank second and third, nothing is decided yet. Frode Holten left Levajok as number two. Comparing time used for resting and mushing on the legs before Levajok for Frode Holten and Bjørnar Andersen, Andersen has rested nearly ten hours more than Holten and mushed 11 hours and 21 minutes faster. Also, at Levajok, Holten rested shorter than Andersen, but after 300 meters the team came to an abrupt halt. Holten then chose to return to the checkpoint.
- Teaching the dogs that there's a possibility to turn around, is dangerous in this sport. This can prove fatal for Frode. Roger Dahl, Ralph Johannessen and Trond Ørslien are all keeping approximately the same speed and they are all faster than Holten. They're coming up from behind, and this is hard to handle psychologically when the mushers are as tired as they are now, Sørlie comments. He says that the fight for being second is completely open, but a lot will be decided on the leg to Skoganvarre.
Uncle Robert believes that his nephew Bjørnar is developing into a complete long distance musher. This is no coincidence, but rather a result of a lot of focused training where all the small details are taken into account.
- Bjørnar is a 100 percent dog man. I know no one else who are that good at taking care of his dogs. Bjørnar is a perfectionist not only in being with the dogs, but also on the trail. Even small details are given a lot of attention. This coming night will show if this will be rewarded, says our expert commentator Robert Sørlie.