The last stage of the ten-race FIS Marathon Cup (FMC), the Birkebeinerrennet (NOR), is scheduled for 21st March. Even so, the 2008/2009 FMC champions are already confirmed: Swede Jenny Hansson (458 points) will top the ladies’ ranking despite taking only 15th in the 41st Engadin Ski Marathon last weekend. With victories at the Jizerská Padesátka (CZE) and the König Ludwig Lauf (GER) along with three 2nd place finishes (La Sgambeda, Marcialong and Vasaloppet), she is already 178 points ahead of runner-up Sandra Hansson (also SWE), the ladies’ Vasaloppet champion.
In the men’s ranking, Marco Cattaneo (ITA) has collected 524 points in eight of the nine events so far and will win the men’s ranking. Swede Jerry Ahrlin, the 2009 Marcialonga champion, is in 2nd place, 120 points behind Cattaneo and with 100 points awarded to the winner, cannot catch Cattaneo even by winning Birkebeinerennet. Stanislav Rezac (288 points, CZE) in 3rd position is currently just 5 points ahead of the Vasaloppet winner Daniel Tynell (SWE). Fabio Santus, last weekend’s winner in the Engadin, is in 11th position overall. The overall competition distance in all ten FMC popular races amounts to more than 550 km though participation in all races is not required or necessary to be classified in the FIS Marathon Cup standings.
Source: FIS
