FL-Junior: Tight competition in the lead – as expected

Beforehand, many anticipated that FL-Junior would be a rat race, where Ella Kjøsnes and Hanna Lyrek would be competing in the lead. So far, the predictions seem to be spot on.

Hanna Lyrek at check-point Jotka Saturday March 5^th 2016. Photo: Reidar Arnesen

Hanna Lyrek started as number six in FL-Junior, but on the stretch to Jotka she worked her way all the way to the lead and arrived at Jotka at 15:08 with fresh breeze head wind. Smilingly, Lyrek talks about the first part of this year’s race:

– The trail was fast, and the dogs have done well, se says enthusiastically, while looking over at the dogs resting in the straw. Ella Kjøsnes arrieved at 15:12 and had used seven minutes longer than Lyrek from Alta to Jotka. Both arrived at the check-point right before some of the participants in FL-1000.

Ella Kjøsnes on her way out of Alta in this year’s Finnmark Race. Photo: Mads Suhr Pettersen

Intense competition
In the Femund Race, Lykek won 11 minutes ahead of Kjøsnes, while it was the opposite the year prior – that year Ella Kjøsnes won the junior class, and Lyrek could not finish because the race was cancelled due to bad weather. In last year’s FL-Junior, Hanna Lyrek came in second, just one minute behind Anette Børve Hernes, who participates in this year’s FL-500. Kjøsnes did not start.

At Jotka, all junors must take out three hours of rest, and in addition there will be a start time alignment. Lyrek can leave 18:09. Kjøsnes can leave at 18:16, seven minutes behind Lyrek.

One thing is for sure: The competition is far from settled, and the competition in FL-Junior is at least as intense as in the other two classes!