Who is Arnt Ola Skjerve?

Arnt Ola Skjerve is 30 years old, lives in Jårdåren and is a competent musher. That much is clear from his previous merits in both Finnmarksløpet and Femunløpet. He has completed five Finnmarksløp previously. He has occupied all the three top spots in FL-500. He won this class in 2009. In 2012 he was number nine in FL-1000.

This year he came in second in Femunløpet – beaten by Ralph Johannessen, Inger-Marie Haalands handler and husband by only 19 minutes.

-The loss in this year’s Femundløp was aggravating, Skjerve told Finnmarksløpet’s press team before start.

-This year I am giving it my all to be in the top spot in FL-1000. Ralph, who also was part of this conversation, gave Skjerve a hint: -Arnt Ola, now you have quit riding to get to know the trail, now it’s a competition and you have to be extremely fast is you are going to beat Inger-Marie. Because together we are explosive.

Skjerve has dreamed to be a musher since he was a young boy, and got his first race dog when he was 11 years old. In other words, Arnt Ola is now living his dream.   

Skjerves background shows both ups and downs through his carrier as a musher. Those experiences will be useful when he is standing at the back of the sleigh, making decisions that should help his dogs and himself to reach his realistic goal of winning FL-1000.

Now it remains to be seen whose team still has the most power.