Saturday, March 7, 2009

Finnmarkslopet 2009: Part 7 - Update from Skoganvarre Checkpoint


Howdy all!
We made it to the Skoganvarre checkpint, as I have preanounced, and the folks that run the local lodge and camping (http://www.skoganvarre.no/) were so kind to let me use their PC.

I don' t have much time as Mikael will be leaving around midnight and it' s 23:00. The atmosphere is awsome! Fire burning down at the river ice, headlamps blinking in the darnkess, as the teams drop onto the ice and near the checkpoint. By the way, Finnmarkslopet has 400 volunteers this year! and they do a great job, navigating teams in and out of the checkpoint.'

Unfortunately, there was already one ugly injury, norwegian musher Erle Frantzen fell off her sled and hit herself badly in the head. Her team came alone into the checkpoint and her handlers took over it immediately. She was transmited to the hospital immediately and we all hope she will be ok!

Mikael said the trail conditions were quite tough, but he had a good run and the team is in good spirits, ate well and rests nicely in the straw. Pitty we can' t see them as they are some 30m away from where spectators are alowed and it' s dark. He came in at 20:20 and is staying for 3,5 hours.

I will have more updates and lots of pictures from the restart sometime tomorrow. The restart on the Alta river was just AWSOME!

Gotta run now, we will be leaving shortly after midnight and should arrive next checkpoint - Levajok around 6 am.

Will be back whenever there is a chance!

Katerina

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