The Engadin Ski Marathon is a 42 kilometer skate race which is run between Maloja and S-chanf near the southern border of Switzerland. Winding around castles and across frozen lakes, the course runs through St Moritz, then down to Pontresina, before heading back uphill toward the finish in S-Chanf.
The Engadin had its first race on March 16th, 1969, and is always run on the second Sunday of March.
The Engadin is the next-to-last Worldloppet which scores points for the FIS Marathon Cup. The last race which will determine the overall FIS Marathon Cup titles is the famous Norwegian Birkebeiner, a 54 kilometer classic race held this Saturday, March 20th.
Fabio Santus of Italy is currently the overall men’s leader with 405 points. Runner up is Oskar Svaerd with 340 points and in third is Marco Catteneo with 293 points. As a win will net 100 points, only Svaerd will be able to compete with Santus for the overall title.
The women’s overall title will come down to a battle between Jenny Hansson and Susanne Nystrom, both from Sweden. Hansson has 400 points and Nystrom has 360.
Of note:
– Andrew Johnson of Steinbock Racing was the first U.S. finisher in 31st, just 1:16.8 off Cologna’s winning time.
– Marshall Greene, of XC Oregon was just behind Johnson in 34th, 1:57.1 back from first place.
– Ben Sim, from Australia, whom fasterskier interviewed before his Olympic run in December, was just 16.5 seconds off the winning pace, placing 11th.
The following article was translated from worldloppet.com:
Very early in the morning the participants got ready for the upcoming race. The weather was beautiful and the tracks were in perfect condition. At 8.40 a.m. the elite group started. Favorites in the men’s race were Fabio Santus (ITA) – last years’ winner and leader of the FIS Marathon Cup, the Olympic champion Dario Cologna (SUI), and Marco Cattaneo (ITA). In the women’s race the favorites were last year’s winner Seraina Mischol (SUI), Jenny Hansson (SWE) – leader of the FIS Marathon Cup, and Susanne Nyström (SWE).
While the elite group moved with high speed towards S-chanf, in Maloja, 10,500 more cross country skiing fans from about 40 different countries began their race in the waves that followed.
After only a few kilometers a large lead group pushed the pace. Susanne Nyström (SWE), Seraina Mischol (SUI) and Natascia Leonardi Cortesi (SUI) were part of this group. In
St. Moritz Dario Cologna (SUI) won the Rossignol-Sprint. The group spread out more and more and in La Punt (km 32) a compact elite group with about 30 athletes took over the lead. In that group were Fabio Santus (ITA), Daniel Tynell (SWE, second at this year’s Vasaloppet), Dario Cologna (SUI) and Christophe Perrillat (FRA, who was this years winner of the La Transjurassienne).
In a breathtaking finish Dario Cologna (SUI) won the race in a time of 1:36.58 – After winning a gold at the Olympic Games in Vancouver he has now won the famous 42km Engadin Skimarathon. With a lag of two seconds Daniel Tynell (SWE) was second, followed by Christophe Perrillat (FRA). The leader of the FIS Marathon Cup – Fabio Santus (ITA) – had an unlucky fall shortly before the finish line and ended up in sixth place, but he will still hold the lead of the overall FIS Marathon Cup going into the last marathon of the year – the Norwegian Birkebeiner.
The leading women’s group also showed an interesting race. The young local Selina Gasparin won the Interdiscount-Sprint in La Punt. Shortly before the finish Susanne Nyström took over the lead and passed the finish line with the win in a time of 1:43.02. She won with an advance of about 42 seconds ahead of Seraina Mischol (SUI) and Selina Gasparin (SUI).
The half marathon was also very successful. This race offers younger athletes an interesting challenge. Hudry Clergeon Gaëlle (Jg. 1992) from Le Grand Bornand (FRA) reached the finish line as winner in a time of 57.33,8, ahead of Kohler Tonja (Jg. 1994) from Vättis and Damaso Fabia (Jg. 1994) from Pontresina. The junior’s men race was won by Rezzonico Matteo (Jg. 1992) from Giubiasco in a time of 1.10,7. Second was Pecher Lukas (Jg. 1992) from Fichtelberg (D) and third was Hammer Reto (Jg. 1992) from Zweisimmen.
Thousands of racers crossed the finish line until 4 p.m in S-chanf.
42km Engadin Top-10 Results:
WOMEN
1. Nyström Susanne, 1982, S-Mora, 1:43.02,8
2. Mischol Seraina, 1981, Davos Dorf, 1:43.26,6
3. Gasparin Selina, 1984, Samedan, 1:43.31,5
4. Leonardi Cortesi Natascia, 1971, Poschiavo, 1:43.44,6
5. Hansson Jenny, 1980, S-Valadalen, 1:46.29,8
6. Rochat Laurence, 1979 Le Pont, 1:46.45,2
7. Hetland Gurit, 1974, Davos Platz, 1:48.32,2
8. Badilatti Ursina, 1982, Poschiavo, 1:49.27,8
9. Strupler Annina, 1984, Grindelwald, 1:50.03,2
10.Jäger Christa, 1992, Vättis, 1:50.16,1
MEN
1. Cologna Dario, 1986, Müstair, 1:36.58,1
2. Tynell Daniel, 1976, S-Borlänge, 1:37.00,9
3. Perrillat Christophe, 1979, F-Le grand Bornand, 1:37.01,0
4. Cattaneo Marc, 1974, I-Caronno Pertusella (VA), 1:37.01,5
5. Carrara Bruno, 1977, I-Serina (BG), 1:37.04,0
6. Santus Fabio, 1976, I-Gromo, 1:37.05,4
7. Galli Morris, 1981, I-Livigno, 1:37.07,9
8. Ahrlin Jerry, 1978, S-Valadalen, 1:37.12,6
9. Andréasson Rikard, 1979, S-Mora, 1:37.13,2
10.Eberharter Michael, 1983, A-Tux, 1.37.13,8
