СКИ МАРАТОН (SKI.BG) -- В петък вечерта Пиер Гудеон завърши трети в нощния спринт, предшестващ световноизвестния ски маратон в Санкт Мориц, но неочаквано погрешка той получи наградния чек за първото място... Може би това беше някакъв знак?! Когато първата група от 20-тина ски бегачи достигна в пакет финала на ски маратона Енгадин, провеждащ се за 45-ти път в едноименната швейцарска долина, най-известна с популярния си курорт Санкт Мориц, французинът съумя да се възползва от спринтьорските си умения и пресече финалната линия първи, изпреварвайки италианеца Кристиан Зорзи, който секунди преди това вече се виждаше като победител... Буквално последните три метра от 42-километровото трасе се оказаха решаващи! С финален шпагат за третото място Кристоф Перила Коломб от Франция успя да изкара крака си пред този на швейцареца Ремо Фишер, който стана победител в ски маратона през 2011-та година. Надпреварата на мъжете за пореден път беше доминирана от голяма група елитни ски бегачи, която се сформира още след старта и не се промени съществено по време на цялото състезание, като само няколко атлети отпаднаха в резултат на високото темпо.

Impression of the famous 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler

С 27-мото си място днес, Серджио Боналди не показа най-доброто, на което е способен, но същевременно това беше достатъчно да му гарантира победата в общото класиране за Купата по ски маратон на ФИС. Най-силният му съперник Беноа Шуве от Франция завърши 9-ти днес и така не успя да скъси дистанцията между себе си и Боналди и да поеме отново лидерството, което вече напарви веднъж, след като спечели La Transjurassienne през месец февруари.

Impression of the famous 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler

При дамите надпреварата изглеждаше доста отворена в началото, независимо от здравото натискане от страна на финладката Рийта-Лийза Ропонен, която обаче беше плътно преследвана от миналогодишната победителка Фавр-Пикон. Швейцарката Серайна Бонер, жителка на курорта Давос, намиращ се недалеч от Енгадин, се движеше трета на 14-тия километър, точно пред една цяла група момичета.

Impression of the 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Remy Steinegger

След участие в множество състезания за Световната купа и Световните първенства, Фавр-Пикон не беше толкова свежа, колкото миналата година, и не успя да задържа втората позиция на финала, позволявайки на Бонер да я изпревари на около 4 километра преди финалната линия. Ропонен завърши с преднина от около 2 минути пред своите конкурентки. Така тя ще отнесе у дома във Финладия голямата глава на Козирог, която всеки победител в ски маратона Енгадин получава. Със сигурност това е един товар, който тя е искала да носи със себе си.

Impression of the famous 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler

Общо 11 хиляди състезатели застанаха тази година на старта на ски маратона Енгадин при перфектно слънчева време и отлични снежни условия. Това е увеличение с 6,4% (около 800 участника повече) спрямо миналата година. Метеорологичната прогноза не винаги е била толкова добра, затова беше приятна изненада, когато на изгрев слънце на небето нямаше нито едно облаче. 45-тото издание на швейцарския ски маратон Енгадин имаше и лек "кралски" привкус, благодарение на Пипа Мидълтън, която лично се включи в състезанието.

Bonaldi (ITA) and Mannima (EST) winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2012/13

A 27th place was enough today for Sergio Bonaldi (ITA, 270 points) to fix his victory in the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2012/13. Benoit Chauvet (FRA, 227 points)) who tried hard to get the red bib of the leader back in the last race of the season, and who finished 9th today, wasn't able to get enough points to overtake the Italian. Anders Aukland (NOR, 220 points), who didn't take part in today's race as it was a skating race and the Norwegian is a classic specialist, takes third place in the overall ranking.

Impression of the 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Remy Steinegger

On the women's side it's Tatiana Mannima (EST, 402 points) who can now finally say “I am the winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup 2012/13”. Already after the American Birkebeiner (USA) it was clear that nobody would be able to take the title away from her any more. Seraina Boner (SUI, 320 points), today's second, is also second in the overall FIS Marathon Cup with Antonella Confortola (ITA) placing third (274 points).

Impression of the 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Remy Steinegger

“I am really happy that I could win the overall FIS Marathon Cup! It is a really important success for me and I hope the whole Italian team can profit from it! At the beginning I didn't really have good results but suddenly, before the American Birkebeiner (USA), I realised that I would be able to win the overall if I would have a great race in the Birkie, so I gave everything. Today, it wasn't a great race for me, the more I am happy that it worked out with the overall!” tells overall winner Sergio Bonaldi (ITA).

Impression of the 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Remy Steinegger

“Winning the overall FIS Marathon Cup means a lot to me! I focused on long distance racing this season and I am more than happy that it worked out that well! I am already looking forward to next season, but before I have our national Estonial Championships to race and then I will go on holidays!” says a happy Tatiana Mannima (EST).

The statements of the best 3

Pierre Guedon (FRA):

I never expected that I could win today. It's my second marathon race and my first Engadin Skimarathon so I am still pretty unexperienced when it comes to long distance racing. But the race was very fast today and when I start in a race I also want to win or get onto the podium at least. So I tried to go with the fastest ones. I got told that you have to be one of the five first skiers when you come to the last 500m and I placed myself in that way right before the finish. In the end I could play the card of a sprinter and get these precious centimetres in front of the second one. I am really really happy. The Engadin is a great place for skiing and I really enjoyed racing here.

Cristian Zorzi (ITA):

Of course I wanted to win, but in the end, Pierre was faster and stronger. I am happy with my second place.

Christoph Perrillat Collomb (FRA):

Of course I hoped that I could win this race for once after I could already gain some podium places here, but I am also happy with the third place in the end. I really like this race here and the track is made for me – that's why I still hope that I will be the winner one day! I tried to attack together with Ivan Perrillat in St. Moritz to get the leading group a bit smaller, but in the end, everybody came back together and over 20 athletes sprinted for the places. I am happy that I could place my foot over the line for a podium place. Now I go to Oslo to race the 50km there and I am looking forward to that.

Impression of the famous 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler

Riitta Liisa Roponen (FIN):

I felt really good today and as I only did three races in the World Championships, I wasn't tired at all. I got told before that it will be crowded in the beginning, but I was still surprised how crowded it got. My plan was to follow the men as long as possible and that was what I did and it worked well. I knew the Engadin already from three weeks of training in summer and I really like it here.

Seraina Boner (SUI):

I felt very good today, but until St. Moritz it was pretty hectic and it wasn't much fun to race. In reality, I could only go as fast as I wanted to during the last five kilometres. I could then catch Anouk and knew that I would be able to finish second. I am really happy with this result. Maybe I should have tried to get behind Roponen straight from the beginning, but it didn't work out. But she was also very strong today.

Anouk Faivre-Picon (FRA):

After my victory last year, I hoped of course to do it again. But after a lot of World Cup races and the World Championships in my legs I didn't feel fresh enough to really fight with Riitta-Liisa and Seraina in the end. So I am very happy that I could get onto the podium. The Engadin is a really great race and it's always fun to ski here!

Contributed by: Engadin Skimarathon
Worldloppet & FIS Marathon Cup
www.worldloppet.com
10.03.2013

Pierre Gudon (FRA) and Riitta Liisa Roponen (FIN) - winners of the 45th Engadin Skimarathon in the Upper Engadin Valley, Switzerland, March 10, 2013. Photo: swiss-image.ch/Remy Steinegger

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