Mischol and Santus Win Engadin Ski Marathon

Switzerland – Swiss World Cup skier Seraina Mischol cruised to victory in the Engadin Ski Marathon this past weekend.  Fabio Santus (ITA) won the men’s race.  Evelyn Dong (Saab Salomon Factory Team/XC Oregon) was the top American woman in 8th and Brayton Osgood (Fischer/Craft, XC Oregon) was 26th in the men’s event.

The Engadin, the Swiss event in the World Loppet series, is a 42 km point-to-point freestyle race over fast rolling terrain.  Times are usually very fast and finishers tightly packed.  Mischol, the top Swiss woman on the World Cup circuit skied away from the competition to win in a time of 1:43:32, three minutes ahead of second place finisher Hilde Pedersen (NOR).  Pedersen, retired from World Cup competition, has been on the podium a number of time on the World Loppet this season, including a victory in the Marcialonga.

Susanne Nyström (SWE) was third, another minute behind Pedersen.

Dong, who finished 4th last year, was 5:35 behind Mischol, and 1:35 off the podium.  Her 8th place finish ranked her ahead of Jenny Hannson, winner of last weekend’s Vasaloppet, and World Cup skiers  Olga Tiagay (RUS) and Seraina Boner (SUI).

Fabio Santus (ITA) edged teammate Marco Cattaneo by 1.4 seconds in the final sprint.  Curdin Perl (SUI) rounded out the podium +4.7 seconds.  Italy also took 4th and 5th, giving the Italians 4 of the top 5 spots.  Danieral Tynell (SWE), winner of last weekend’s Vasaloppet, was 6th.

Osgood finished just over a minute off the winning pace.  His XC Oregon teammate, Marshall Greene (Alpina/Madshus), was 35th and Rossignol’s Zack Simons 68th.

8937 skiers completed the 42km event, and another 866 skied the half-marathon.  Over 80% of finishers were men.

Engadin Ski Marathon – Complete Results

Slideshow of the event