FL-1000: Arnt Ola Skjerve is number two

Arnt Ola Skjerve managed to pass Inger-Marie Haaland and won second place in this years’ Finnmarksløp. In Femundsløpet earlier this year Skjerve got the same place, only beat by Ralph Johannesen, and ahead of Thomas Wærner who got third.

However, Skjerve could not do anything against Wærner in Finnmarksløpet 2013. He crossed the finish line at 11.21 with seven dogs in his team. 

Cuddles at the finish line.

Like Wærner, Skjerve started this year’s race calmly with a lot of rest. Like the winner, he took his long rest in Tana Bru, and was not part of the top until further out in the race. In Neiden 2 he chose to rest longer than most of the other mushers, and then he went straight through Varangerbotn, got some rest in Sirbma, and went straight through Levajok 2. But eventually he struggled, and on the endless Tana River, Thomas Wærner caught up to him.  

-When he came I was just happy. It made me see a chance to get to the checkpoint in Karasjok. It was very difficult on the river, he said after the finish in Alta.

Arnt Ola Skjerve is now getting rid of the mustache 

Even though he came in second, Arnt Ola is satisfied with the race. But the mustache has to go.

-Mustaches are overrated. I can’t drink, and food gets stuck in it. It is going, he laughs.  

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