Skrevet av: Fredrik Ljone Holst
Foto: Geir Stian A. Larsen
Dato: 12.03.2015 14:39
Steinar Kristensen and Birgitte Næss Wærner arrived at the checkpoint together, after a long and strenuous leg from Sirbma to Levajok.
- The dogs have been running for hours with winds of gale force. Or, it was actually more than gale force, probably more like gale storm, Steinar Kristensen laughed.
He explains that the sight conditions were not poor, but it was very windy.
Birgitte Næss Wærner ahead of Steinar Kristensen going into Levajok. Photo: Geir Stian A. Larse
The good Samaritan
- What would I have done without you, Steinar? Birgitte Næss Wærner asks, turning toward the dogs resting in the straw next to her. She arrived at Levajok together with Steinar Kristensen, and once they are safely settled at the checkpoint, they hug each other.
- He helped me when I lost my dogs at the beginning of the race, and he helped me again now. Steinar is my favorite, she says with a great smile.
When things were at their windiest, she climbed into her bivy sack, but was allowed to follow Steinar to the checkpoint.
Did not know about the weather
Having gone straight through cp Varangerbotn, she hit the bad weather after a few hours of rest at Sirbma. How much this stunt has hurt her, she does not know.
- I did not know about the weather, but it would probably have been easier to go through it with a bit more energy. At the same time, the dogs are not physically, but mentally tired, she explains.
It is possible she is a bit tired mentally herself. A few minutes earlier, she said she was uncertain what was nigh or day.
- But I can see that it is light out right now, she added and laughed a bit.
Loosing terrain
Even though she tried to play a trick on Sigrid Ekran by skipping the rest in Varangerbotn, statistisk do not go in Birgitte’s favor the last 24 hours. Going out of Varangerbotn, she was 1, 16 ahead of Sigrid.
Coming into Sirbma, 45 minutes of this head start was gone. Going out of Sirbma, Kjell Brnnodden was 20 minutes ahead of Sigrid, who was 20 minutes ahead of Birgitte. After the windy stretch to Levajok, Sigrid is in the lead again, while Birgitte is five hours behind.
Sigrid was taking care of the dogs, looking like she was getting ready to prepare the departure from Levajok when Birgitte arrived.