Skrevet av: Stefan Sanne
Dato: 07.03.2005 23:57
There seems to be a tight competition between two women on the second last stage of the 500 km race. Hilde Askildt was the first to leave the checkpoint in Karasjok. Some minutes afterwards the swedich Katy Meier follows and in between we have Jan Øystein Dervo. The finnish Joni Elomaa gave up.
It is only 12 minutes that seperate Katy Meier and Hilde Askildt when tey were going out on the 83 km long stretch towards Suosjavri.
Hilde Askildt started at 21.05 and Jan Øystein Dervo placed himself in between the two women when he started at 21.08.
Katy Meier should have been leaving at 20.56. At that point she had her resting time pool down to the required time but she had trouble shortly before taking off. Literally in the last second she decided to take out one of the dogs and so the veterenarian was called in before she coul continue with 7 dogs in her team.
Hilde Askildts dogs looked fresh and enthusiastic when going out and the 44 year old musher from Geilo was really looking forward to the trip towards Suosjavri.
I am going to stop every other or third hour. Then I will give te dogs some snacks and let them rest a bit. I will eat while standing on the sled. And smoke a lot, laughs Hilde. She has not yet made up her mind about whether it is an advantage to be leading the race at the moment.
- Wouldn't it be fun to be winning the race on the womens day?
- Is it womens day tomorrow? That will hopefully give me some extra strength!
Jan Øystein Dervo from Tana also plans to blend himself into the fight for victory. He did not start at the Finmmarksløpet 500km race in the last two years, but participated in the Femund instead. Now he might have come back to win the race.