Skrevet av: Karoline Leistad-Jonas and Markus Leistad
Foto: Steinar Vik
Dato: 08.03.2015 10:13
The exit trail from Karasjok offers the mushers quite a challenging hill. For the mushers it's just another day at the office.
Elisabeth Edland
Photo: Steinar Vik
The first musher to leave cp Karasjok was Elisabeth Edland, who is now first on the trail. She is also the musher with the fastest race time so far. We spoke with her just before she left.
- I am curious to see the exit from the check point. Apparently it's a new route and they say it shall be challenging.
Alexander Schwartz
Photo:Steinar Vik
When confronting her with the fact that she's presently in the lead of the race and has some leeway before the next musher, she says: - I don't know anything about the results. My partner keeps track of that. The only thing he's said is that I should not run too fast.
Edland's dogs appeared fresh and fit. She had an extra vet check on them before leaving the check point, and decided to keep all eight with her on the trail.
Robin Johansen
Photo: Steinar Vik
There are 11 teams following Edland out on the trail from Karasjok within the space of one hour. So far it's a close race, in other words.
At cp Levajok the mushers have to take out the remainder of a total mandatory rest of 14 hours before they can proceed. This means that up until Levajok it will be the team with the least race time that in reality leads the race (whatever its position when arriving at the check point). After Levajok, the first team on the trail will be the real leader of the competition.
Andreas Tømmervik
Photo: Steinar Vik
Niklas Rogne
Photo: Steinar Wik